Frost Burned
by Sciencefictioness
Summary: Gray and Natsu must go on a job to fight an unknown mage before he wreaks havoc on Magnolia. Can Gray complete the job while keeping his feelings for Natsu a secret? Meanwhile, Natsu is grappling with an issue of his own, unique to dragonslayers.
1. Dreams of Fire

**Chapter Text**

Gray felt the heat licking at him before his eyes fully opened. It was not oppressive, just a steady warmth pulling him up slowly into consciousness. As an ice mage he normally preferred the cold, but this was a nice feeling. Gentle. Comforting. As though he was wrapped in a lovers' embrace. He blinked his eyes open slowly, then sat up with a gasp as they took in his room.  
Fire. Fire everywhere.

"Oh, shit!"

Gray felt desperate fear as his eyes darted around. His walls were coated in it, painted with flames. The blaze oozed across his stone floors like liquid. A thousand shades of yellow, red, and orange merged and blended. Hell's very own paint by numbers set.  
Gray took a deep breath and tried to calm himself, pulling up his hands and drawing on his magic. He thought that freezing the whole room would be the most effective way to put it all out at once.

"Ice Make Instant Freeze!" He shouted, feeling the rush of energy pour out of his hands and blow through the room like a cool breeze.  
The flames danced in the shockwave of his magic, but no ice came forth. His magic didn't work. Gray needed to get out of there quick. He glanced towards the door and felt his chest tighten.  
There was no door, only a wall of fire.  
Just as he tried to pull on his magic again, the fire began to retreat. It shrank first from the ceiling, then down the walls. The flames descended slowly and began to creep across the floor. Gray stared, open mouthed and panting at the perfect, unburnt surfaces. It was as though no fire had ever been there, let alone the inferno that had been his room moments ago.  
Fire started to coalesce in the floor at the foot of his bed, a cyclone of flame swirling in circles, faster and faster. Howling like a strong wind, it danced and shuddered. Then the fire began to shrink down, cracking like a campfire as it folded in on itself. Light flashed and suddenly instead of roiling flames, a person stood, tendrils of smoke coiling off his skin. The smoke smelled like cinnamon. Gray blinked rapidly in confused recognition.

"Natsu?"

It wasn't really a question. Gray would know that face anywhere. Natsu stood motionless, arms crossed over his chest, pink hair spiking in every direction. His ever present Dragon scale scarf was wrapped around his neck, along with loose fitting white pants, but his vest was nowhere to be seen. Looking down, his feet were also bare, which Gray found strange.

A giant fire turning into Natsu in your bedroom is not strange, but him being barefoot is weird?

Gray shook his head as he caught Natsu's eyes. He inhaled sharply as he was pinned down by that dark eyed stare. Natsu looked at him with an intensity he had never seen before. Gray's soul was laid bare under his gaze, every secret revealed, every dark desire unearthed. Natsu's mouth turned up into an amused smirk.

"You thought your ice could put out my flames?"He asked, putting a challenge in the question with his inflection. Gray was too dumbfounded to argue.

"Uh, I...uh,"

"I'm burning just for you, snowflake. You think a few ice cubes can stop me?"

Natsu grinned, a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he climbed onto the bed.

 _Natsu smiled at me,_ Gray thought. His heart pounded stupidly loud in his chest.

Gray's eyes were drawn from that smoldering gaze, to the chiseled muscles of Natsu's abdomen, and back again. His throat went dry as he tried to swallow down this sudden apprehension. The Dragonslayer crawled up the bed without breaking eye contact, predatory and fierce. An unspoken threat was written across his features. Soon they were so close Gray was leaning back against his pillows as Natsu straddled his hips.

 _Natsu is on top of me._ Gray's breathing came in shallow pants.

"Ah... What are you doing, Natsu?" His voice was small and uncertain.

A dragon's smile spread over Natsu's lips, a bearing of sharp teeth. He eyed Gray like a wolf sizing up a lamb.

"A dragon does what it wants, takes what it wants." Natsu grabbed Gray's jaw, forcing his head left, then right. Gray let out a harsh breath. He was rock hard under those black eyes, the red of flames dancing within. "And this dragon wants his treasure."

Natsu grabbed Gray's wrists and pinned them over his head, crushing his lips against the ice wizard's in a vicious kiss.

 _Natsu kissed me._ Heat ate up Gray's flesh.

He shifted his grip on the raven haired boys wrists to his right hand and ran his left down Gray's neck and chest to pinch his nipple. Gray moaned at the contact, unconsciously grinding his hips up against the fire mage and wishing there weren't layers of fabric between them. Natsu's tongue pushed into his mouth, not asking permission but demanding entrance.

 _Natsu's lips. Natsu's tongue._

The Dragonslayer's bare chest pressed into Gray's as he ground their hard lengths together, and the ice mage almost lost it then and there.

 _Natsu's skin. Natsu's cock._

Gray began to struggle underneath his guild mate, not wanting to embarrass himself by finishing in his boxers. A fierce kiss, a hot touch, and he was fighting the ache shooting up his flesh. How many times had he yearned for this very thing, Natsu's hard body and soft lips pressed against him? Yet he didn't want to want it to end so quickly. He tried to pull back.

"N-natsu, wait!" He mumbled into the other's mouth.

"Nnn-nnnm," he hummed back, "been waiting too long already..." Natsu argued, trailing his mouth over Gray's jaw to his neck where he began licking and sucking.

"I'm gonna- nngh... gonna cum!" He pleaded, twisting underneath the fire wizard, trying to escape. Natsu pulled back and smiled gently at him. It was such a sharp contrast to his aggression so far. Emotions played openly across his features. Desire. Affection. Love. Then the gentle smile transformed into a villainous smirk.

"I want you to. I want to watch." Natsu palmed Gray's cock through his boxers as he pressed a hot mouth on his ear. "Come for me Gray."

Gray was done for. His muscles tensed as his body curled in on itself, heat racing up his shaft as his eyes sought Natsu's.

"I l-love you, Natsu." He choked out, hanging on by a thread, trapped in Natsu's gaze again. Gray's dragon smiled and pressed harder against him.

"I know."

 _I told Natsu I love him._ Gray's orgasm shot up his length, scorching and vicious. He jerked with a low moan-

Gray awoke, shooting up in bed with a gasp as he came in twitching spasms. Warm, thick fluid dripped under his boxers as he rolled to his side. Gray curled into himself, letting his hand drift to cup himself as he shuddered out the last of his climax.  
He was all alone. Natsu was not here. No fire and no heat. Just the mess of his clothes and a single cold tear rolling down his face. His breath came in sharp pants. The mage fought back a sob, biting down on his knuckles and refusing to make a sound. He would not give voice to the sorrow inside, the black hole that lived in his chest. Not today. Not right now.  
 _Just a dream.  
You're so pathetic. Reduced to tears by a wet dream. How many times is it this week? You're unworthy to call yourself a wizard, let alone lay claim to the Fire Dragonslayer._

 _Bam! Bam! Bam!_

Gray jumped up at the sound. Someone was knocking on his door. Loudly. He threw his legs over the side of the bed so his feet touched the cold stone. Grounding himself in the here and now. A deep sigh escaped as he buried his face in his hands. Whoever was at the door had the worst timing in history. Gray did not make a sound, hoping they would think he wasn't home.

"Graaaaaay! I can smell you in there. Open the door."

Fuuuuuck. It was Natsu. _What the hell is he even doing here?_ Panic shot through him as he looked at the wet spot on his boxers. He'd just come all over himself dreaming about the Dragonslayer and now he was at the door. _Shit. Calm down, calm down. He won't know. Relax._

Gray threw open a drawer and quickly pulled on some pajamas. Patience was not Natsu's strong point. If he didn't open the door soon the fire wizard would probably knock it down and kick his ass for not answering fast enough.

 _Or maybe he would be worried about me. I am his guild mate. If I was here and not waking up something could be wrong. It wouldn't be weird to want to check on me.  
Bam! Bam! Bam!_

"Hey ice for brains, if you don't open up I'm going to kick this thing in and then smack you around for ignoring me!"

Gray rolled his eyes with another sigh as he pulled on a shirt. It was strange for him to wear one at home, but he felt guilty. As though covering his skin would better hide his feelings. Shield his flesh to protect his heart. Gray walked towards the door. He couldn't afford a new door. He needed to hurry.

"Hold on you bastard let me put on some clothes."

"Do you even own clothes?"

"I own more clothes than you, you flame brained moron."

"Ice princess!"

"Matchstick-"

Gray stopped short as he threw open the door and took in Natsu. It staggered him for the briefest instant, as always. That crazy pink hair, those dark eyes always glowing with amusement. That stupid cocky grin that made Gray ache in his chest. The strong hard body that made him ache somewhere... lower. He shook himself, wondering what Natsu saw in his face. Gray knew what he himself looked like, face flushed, eyes red, a sheen of sweat on his skin. His breathing was almost evened out, but not quite.

"What do you want Natsu? I was asleep." Gray asked in a carefully exasperated tone.

Natsu's eyes took Gray in slowly. That dragons nose sniffed the air, then he broke out into an uncharacteristically sly smile.

"Did we have a good dream, snowflake?" He asked in a wry voice. Gray's eyes widened as his heart raced.

 _I'm burning just for you, Snowflake._

He had forgotten about Natsu's sense of smell in the panic. Of course Natsu could smell his... arousal. He tried to fight the blush creeping up his cheeks. Gray let out a frustrated breath as he threw his arms up in the air.

"Seriously, Natsu, what is it? I can't deal with you right now."

This was true, in its own way. Natsu just let out a bark of a laugh and smirked again.

"Gramps wants all the elemental mages at the guild. Some special job. Cana's gonna read her cards, figure out who needs to go. He sent me to come get you. I told him there's no way they'd need an ice princess, but he made me come anyway. Although..." Natsu glanced down briefly and grinned again. "Iron is technically an earth element, so Gajeel will be there, along with Wendy. With their noses? You might want to shower."

Gray's fist flew before he even thought, straight at Natsu's face. Natsu ducked out of the way with a smile before trying to take out Gray's legs with a kick. The ice mage caught himself and used his momentum to throw a kick while blocking Natsu's fiery right hook with his arm. Natsu pulled his stomach in quickly to avoid the kick. Gray rolled up to his feet in a fighting stance while Natsu spun away and faced him. Gray's stood higher, arms up near his chest. A soldier ready to strike, solid like ice. Natsu's stance was lower, arms to the side. An animal ready to pounce, fluid like fire. His eyes glittered with delight, but he shook himself and stood up.

"I really would like to knock you around a little but Gramps said hurry. Erza also said she would smash my head in if I picked a fight with you. So hurry up." Natsu turned and headed towards the guild. As he departed he looked back over his shoulder at Gray. "Plus I don't want to get all close combat with you right now, if you know what I mean."

His lips curled up again as he turned away and sped up to avoid the attack he knew was coming. That fucking smirk would be the end of him. He flung some ice at Natsu's retreating back. The Dragonslayer blocked it without even looking, laughing as he ran toward Fairy Tail.

"Che! Idiot!" Gray spat the word as he went back inside and closed the door. When he leaned against it, it was as though he weighed a thousand pounds.

 _Idiot. I am the idiot here,_ Gray thought, hating himself. Natsu's face filled his mind, his expression from moments ago. Eyes alight with joy, ready for a fight. Fists clenched, breathing steady. Natsu always looked the most beautiful with the promise of violence etched in his features. Gray's hands shook as he sank down to the floor and buried his face in his knees. He listened to the emptiness of his house, silent and hollow now that Natsu was gone and Gray was alone.

A sob was wrenched out from deep in Gray's throat.

Alone.

Only then did Gray let the tears fall.


	2. Last Light

**Chapter Text**

Natsu slowed to a walk as he got further away from Gray's house. He smiled to himself. Natsu loved fighting with Gray, but he couldn't really lay into him right now so it was better to high tail it back to the guild. A representative from the magic council was there waiting for Fairy Tails elemental mages to assemble, along with the council's Oracle. It was a bad idea to keep them there longer than necessary, even for someone as reckless as Natsu. Still, that little scuffle had been a tease, and now Natsu's muscles were twitchy with the need to fight. They tensed and flexed, wanting to let fly with fists and feet and flame. Sure, he could throw down with someone else at the guild while they waited for the others but somehow it wasn't the same.

Gray knew Natsu's fighting better than anyone. The angles at which his fists fell. The speed of his legs as they shot out. Gray could look at Natsu's face and predict when he'd strike, or from which side his attack would come. Natsu could do the exact same thing to Gray. The movements of their muscles, the tempo of their breathing, which way their eyes darted. Their bodies spoke a language to each other that only they could truly understand. They had been battling each other so long, it became second nature. It made Gray so much harder to fight as an opponent. Natsu loved every moment of it.

He sighed as he walked, trying to shake the itch from his bones.

 _Gray had a wet dream._

Natsu had teased him about it of course. How could he not? Gray would have done the same. If he could have, anyway. Natsu's features drew up into a scowl. He had never even gotten hard, let alone had a wet dream. Jealousy soared through him, electric and sharp. Natsu would have given almost anything to know what that felt like.

Igneel had told him about this when he was young. He could remember sitting underneath him, Igneel's great wing sheltering him from the rain as they watched distant stars peeking through the clouds.

 _"You're too young for this, but you will need to know. You are a human, Natsu, and you are also a dragon. Dragon's have only one mate. When you are older, your instincts will draw you to them. Until then, your body will not want another. It will sleep until you are ready. Your body will know your mate by your bite. Your instincts will take over, and you will claim your mate."_  
 _"How?"_  
 _When it's time, the dragon in you will know what to do. Once you claim your mate, both of you will be stronger. A mark will form on the palms of your hands. You will each be able to sense when the other is in danger, and will always be able to find them. A mate rights all wrongs. There's not time to teach you about all of it myself. The dragon in you will understand, will teach you everything you need to know to protect your mate."_  
 _"What if they don't like me? What if they don't want to be my mate?"_  
 _"They will. It's fated. You will each want the other, and no one else."_  
 _"They don't have a choice?"_  
 _"Their choice will be you, Natsu. Now sleep."_

Natsu had never liked that, his mate not having a choice. It made his insides twist, even at his young age. It had been awhile before Natsu had understood what Igneel had really been talking about. As he had gotten older and others his age began to experiment, Natsu felt only curiosity. He would hear guys talking about wanting girls and sex. The girls instead talked about feelings of love and romance. He thought he knew what they meant, but could not feel any of this himself. It was as though he was a spectator. Sure, girls hit on him, but he couldn't bring himself to lead them on, no matter how intrigued he was with the concept of love. Natsu felt nothing for them. The Dragonslayer loved his friends, his allies, but it was different.

For a long time, he took Igneel's word as fact, and didn't question them in the slightest. As he got older and older however, things started to change. Mages his age and even younger were sleeping together, making out in the guild, dating then breaking up. Natsu began to worry that something was wrong with him, that Igneel had known somehow that he would be impotent and just told him that story about dragons and mates so he would not think he was damaged. Broken.

Makarov caught him more than once sneaking into brothels to watch people have sex, dragging him out by his ear and promptly kicking his ass. Natsu felt like a freak. He had stroked himself bloody trying to get hard so many times over, crying as he struggled to get an erection, to make himself come. He just wanted to _see_ , to understand. Watching just made him feel worse, but he couldn't stop himself. As the women kissed and touched those men, they sprang to life. Vital. Masculine. Strong. Natsu would look down at his lifeless flesh in disgust.

If the price of being a dragon was to never fully be a man, it wasn't worth the cost. He fought enemies in battle countless times. As they lay broken and defeated at his feet, bitterness often rose to the surface to cloud his victory. Natsu could beat them. Break their bones. Burn their flesh. Yet when they returned to their daily lives, they could take a lover and lose themselves together. Natsu could only sleep alone, hating his useless body.

When he told Gramps about his problem, Makarov looked into it for him, with little success. There weren't many Dragonslayers to begin with, and most of them were around Natsu's age anyway. Firsthand experience was almost impossible to come by. Though there had been Dragonslayers in the past, there wasn't a lot written about them. When Gajeel joined the guild, Makarov had asked him about it, albeit without going into too much detail. The Iron Dragonslayer said Metalicana had also told him about dragons and their mates, but that each type of dragon was a little different. What was true for a fire dragon might not be for a sky dragon. Things that happened when iron dragons matured could be different from shadow dragons. There was no way to know anything for certain.

Natsu couldn't bring himself to bring this up to Gajeel, despite how bitterly he craved the knowledge. That would mean admitting to Gajeel that he was impotent, a freak. Less than a man. What if Igneel's story was only a lie spun to comfort his child? He would never be able to look his guild mates in the eyes again. He would rather suffer and wonder at the truth.

When he smelled Gray's arousal, he had felt jealousy spike through his gut as usual, but also something else. He wondered what Gray's cum looked like streaked across his abs. Natsu wanted to touch it, rub his fingers through it, smell it. Taste it. What would it be like? How would it feel? He'd never had these thoughts before.

 _Fuck, what is wrong with me?_

Natsu was glad when he saw the guild up ahead. His thoughts were dark and crawling and strange. He needed to be pulled out of them. As he walked in, everyone started at him expectantly. Happy flew over to him, saying hello.

"Where's Gray?" Erza snapped, standing by the bar near Makarov.

"He's on his way. He had to change clothes." Natsu answered, distracted. When he thought of Gray changing clothes, he thought about wetness spreading over muscled flesh. He tried to shake his thoughts.

"Did you start a fight with him, Natsu?" There was barely concealed rage in Erza's voice as she walked over to him. Mira cringed behind the bar as she washed mugs.

"I didn't do anything! It's not my fault!"

Erza punched him in the shoulder and he took it with a flinch. He could've dodged it, but he knew better. The second one would be worse.

"A man takes his punishment!" Elfman shouted. Natsu rolled his eyes.

The magic council had sent two mages, both women. Their representative, Yuki, was an illusion mage. She had long purple hair with matching eyes, hard and unforgiving. They could all understand why they sent someone so severe. The magic council was not at all fond of Fairy Tail, and it rankled to be asking them for help. They would never have done so if their Oracle had not demanded it after her latest prophecy.

Everyone had heard of the dark mage causing chaos all over Fiore. They called him Dorobo, thief. He attacked elemental mages all over the country, taking their abilities and leaving them to die as the magic ran rampant in their bodies with no outlet. The energy built up inside them until they began to seize and bleed through their eyes, noses, mouths. They died in agony as their magic killed them from inside out. No one Dorobo stole magic from survived for more than a few minutes, and attempts to save any of the victims had so far been futile. He had to be stopped, but only a wizard had any chance. When mage after mage fell in his wake, the magic council forbade anyone from going after him until their Oracle could determine who had a chance to defeat him.

The Oracle tried to divine the answers, and was partially successful. The magic council was none too happy to hear the words that came out of her mouth in a dozen voices at once, as he eyes flashed white and she floated off the ground.

 _" You must go to the guild of fairies. The daughter of their beast will lead you with fortune. Her light will shine, and the fairies will go forth. One will fail and one will fall, and then they will take back from the thief what is there's, and he will shudder in their wake. "_

The guild of fairies was obviously Fairy Tail, and the daughter of their beast had to be Cana, since Gildarts was her dad. The Oracle had decreed that they would travel to Magnolia, have Cana do a reading with her cards, and hopefully be rid of Dorobo.

The Oracle sat before them now, young and tiny, with long white curls flowing down her back. She perched on the bar with Makarov, laughing and drinking as Yuki glared at her in disgust. She had insisted on coming with Yuki, but would not say why. No one in their right mind would argue with an Oracle. The tiny mage had taught Cana some new magic that would show them who could beat the magic thief.

The guild chattered away as they waited for Gray to arrive, the only elemental mage missing. Natsu looked around the hall. Juvia was there talking to Wendy at a nearby table. Gajeel sat at the bar with an arm around Levy. Lucy was talking with Mira. She could summon Aquarius, and no one wanted to take chances. Macao and his son Romeo, both fire mages, played a card game while they grew impatient.

Natsu sat with Lucy by the bar and proceeded to stuff his face. As he polished off the last of his food, Gray came through the door. Natsu looked up at him, struggling not to picture him in the throes of ecstasy and failing. He didn't have a chance to feel awkward, however, as the guild descended on him without mercy. Juvia didn't even get in a single 'Gray-sama'.

"About time Gray!"

"Change your clothes? You never even wear any!"

"You're making the council wait! They hate us enough as it is you jerk!"

The rabble continued as he strode towards the bar where all the elemental wizards had gathered. Natsu struggled not to stare, then wondered why it took so much effort. He really was losing it today.

"Oi! Shut up! I'm here now, so let's get on with it!" Gray wanted out of there, and away from Natsu, as quickly as possible. After what happened today, he had zero confidence in his ability to act naturally.

"Are you ordering us around?" Yuki snapped. Gray held his hands up in surrender, eyes wide.

"Uh no, never."

"Shut up Gray, get up here." Erza said with a growl.

"I'm standing right here!"

"Gray!"

"Erza!"

"QUIET!" Makarov's shouts silenced everyone.  
"Gray, Natsu, Juvia, Lucy, Gajeel, Wendy, Macao, Romeo. Up front." Everyone shuffled forward into a loose semi circle about ten feet in front of the table Cana sat on, cards spread out before her.  
"Cana get going before they start fighting again."

All eyes were on her as she put her hands over her cards. Cana closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Card magic! Last Light!"

Purple light emanated from the cards as they lifted from the table and flew around her body in a tornado of magic. They moved faster and faster, and the light increased in intensity. They rotate, increasing their speed exponentially. The walls of the guild began to shake from the spells power. Tables shimmied back and forth and napkins blew off the counters, caught in the whirlwind. Everyone shifted uneasily, unable to take their eyes from the card mage. She thrust out her hand, a card tucked between her fingers.

"Shine!"

The light strobed, then went out, bathing the guild in darkness. Suddenly, Gray and Natsu both stood on separate pillars of their light. The magic pulled them in towards Cana, dragging them across the floor with a scraping sound. They both fought instinctively, trying to escape the magics hold, to no avail. When they were side by side in front of the cards, the Oracle floated off the bar and began to speak. Dozens of voices combined in eerie symphony, and the glow of her eyes was the same shade of purple as the light pillars holding Gray and Natsu captive.

"Ice will burn and fire freeze. Ice will fail and fire fall. Death brings life, and only you bring peace."

The magic blew out of the room in a gust as the lamps came back on. Natsu and Gray jerked backwards as they were released from the spells hold. They glanced at each other dubiously, and it was Gajeel who broke the silence.

"This is a disaster. Magnolia is screwed."


	3. First Class

**Chapter Text**

Gray sat on the train platform waiting for Natsu, eyeing Erza warily as she paced. Natsu never arrived for the train on time. His motion sickness made traveling hell for him and as a result he was not exactly eager to climb into any form of transportation. Erza should know this by now, as Lucy had reminded her repeatedly. The blonde mage sat on nearby bench picking at her fingernails.

Gray remembered when Natsu had first brought Lucy to the guild. It was like a knife in his chest. Deep down, he knew he was already in love with Natsu, but he refused to accept it. Then Natsu showed up with Lucy, a beautiful blonde, larger than life. With her celestial magic and outgoing personality, the two were perfect for each other. Everyone in the guild thought it was just a matter of time before they got together. Gray wanted to hate Lucy with every fiber of his being. He was a coward. He wouldn't even admit the truth of his feelings, not even to himself. Lucy was brave, and honest, and spoke what she felt straight from her heart. He couldn't hate her, no matter how hard he tried. Yet every time he saw them together it was salt in his wounds. What Lucy did, just by being near Natsu, was open Gray's eyes to the truth. He felt grateful to her now, especially since the two genuinely seemed to care for each other only as friends. The celestial wizard forced him to be more honest. Even if he did not have the courage to tell Natsu the truth, once Lucy showed up, he stopped lying to himself.

Gray was in love with Natsu. He realized he had been since he was barely out of childhood, even if he had been too young to understand what it was he was feeling.  
The desire to be close to his friend, more than any other.  
The worry that ate at his chest when Natsu was gone too long on a mission.  
The fear that tightened his throat when the fire mage stood against a strong enemy, and the exultation Gray felt when he saw him triumph, time and time again, against impossible odds. As he watched him fight to inevitable victory, a voice down inside whispered, _That's my Natsu._  
Then there was the fierce jealousy that took Gray by surprise when Natsu spent a lot of his time with others. Gray did not want to share him, he wanted Natsu all to himself. Gray wanted to possess him. Still, he didn't fully understand what it all meant.

Then, Gray had his first real _dream_ about Natsu. God, he had been so fucking confused. Gray had cleaned up and stormed to the guild. He found the Dragonslayer and immediately started beating the hell out of him. The fight went gone on so long, Makarov and Erza had to break them up, which was a rare thing. They usually let them fight until they wore themselves out, but Gray was out for blood. He dislocated Natsu's shoulder and sprained his own wrist. Gramps had taken Gray aside afterwards and asked him what had gotten into him. The ice wizard just shook his head. He did not know what had gotten into him. All he knew right then was that he wanted it out.

Natsu had simply called him an asshole and demanded a rematch, all with a smile on his face.

"That was a good one," he'd said. _Fucking Natsu._

When Gray stopped fighting what was going on inside, confusion turned to frustration. _Longing._ It became a serious struggle to hide his feelings at first. He would catch himself staring, then blush furiously. Without thinking about it he would constantly ask the others where Natsu was, or what job Natsu was on. Looking at it from the outside, it seemed obvious. He often wondered how no one had noticed before. Natsu was not the most observant of people, but the guild was filled with watchful eyes and sharp intellects. Many nights Gray had lain awake in fear, sure that someone would figure him out and expose his secret. Then his best friend would hate him, and he doubted he would see much of Natsu anymore. Gray wasn't even certain he would be able to stay in the guild if that happened, suffering looks of pity and disgust. The thought of leaving Fairy Tail left him hollow inside. Never fight with his guild mates again? Never see Natsu's smile, or hear his laugh? It was unthinkable. No one could know. Especially not Natsu.

Lucy sighed in irritation, but not because Natsu was late. Neither she nor Erza was very happy about being left behind on this particular job. Even Happy had been forbidden to go. They were uneasy. The five of them were a team and to be split up for such a dangerous mission did not sit right. Gray was nervous going on this mission with just the fire mage. Not only did Doroba pose a serious threat, but Gray would be forced to endure the train ride to a village north of Magnolia, as well as a night in a hotel alone with Natsu, before facing the dark wizard. Usually Lucy and Erza were there to draw attention from Gray, a welcome distraction from the emotions that Natsu brought out of him. This time, he was on his own.

Gray hoped he could keep it together, defeat Dorobo, and return without incident. The gnawing sensation he felt in his gut told him this was probably to much to ask for.

His muscles began to tense with stress as he looked up and saw a familiar pink head trudging towards the group. Natsu held Happy in his arms like an infant. The cat was pouting.

"But Natsu it's not fair! I'm not even a person! I don't count! I should be able to come too!" Natsu ruffled the exceed's fur affectionately.

"Happy we've been over this. It's too dangerous. You can stay with Lisanna until I get back."

"I don't eat much! I'm very small! If it gets too scary I'll fly away!"

"No, Happy."

"But Natsu-"

"Enough, Happy." Natsu snapped. Everyone looked at him in shock. Natsu never spoke to Happy like that. Happy looked hurt, burying his face in Natsu's scarf. Natsu sighed. "Look I'm sorry but you just can't go. We'll be back before you know it. Everything will be just fine."

He squeezed Happy tight before releasing him. Happy flew over to Erza, a deep frown on his face. Natsu seemed sad to let him go.

"Okay guys, time to go." Erza ordered as Gray and Natsu shuffled towards the train car. Gray could not even look at Natsu. The Dragonslayer kept his eyes at his feet. Erza looked at the pair like a mother sending her children off for the first day of school.

"Listen, forget about the Oracle, and the prophecy and all that. You are two of the strongest mages of Fairy Tail, and this is a job like any other. Go find Dorobo, kick his ass, and make the guild proud." She paused before continuing. "And if I find out you two got into a fight on this mission, I will smash your heads in."

They both nodded half-heartedly as everyone said their goodbyes. Natsu and Gray climbed aboard and found their sleeper car, shutting themselves in with a soft click.

The pair stowed their gear in the overhead compartments and sat down opposite one another, finally meeting each others eyes. Natsu looked tired, with shadows under his red rimmed eyes. Gray was overwhelmed with the urge to touch him, push the hair back from his face and run his fingers down Natsu's check. He ransacked his brain for a snide remark or insult and came up empty.

 _I am fucking this up already._ The train hadn't even started moving yet.

"Ah this sucks. I hate trains." Natsu spat, running his hands back and forth through his hair quickly. Gray felt an irrational surge of envy. He wanted to touch those pink spikes too. The fire mage looked at Gray suspiciously.

"You're awfully quiet, snowflake." Natsu observed Gray with eyes that saw too much for the ice mage's liking. Natsu had a million nicknames for him, but when they were alone together, Gray noticed he tended to call him snowflake. Now that he considered it, he couldn't remember Natsu ever calling him that in front of their guild mates. These thoughts did strange things to his insides, twisting them in ways they shouldn't. Natsu undoubtedly thought nothing of it, yet Gray found himself wanting to hear it again.

 _So pathetic._

Gray was frozen, his throat gone dry.

 _Say something. Insult him. Anything._

Still, faced with that intense gaze, his mind went blank. Natsu furrowed his brow. As he opened his mouth to speak, the train shot forward. The fire mage put his hand to his lips and moaned. He hadn't eaten anything since yesterday, but his stomach still twisted in protest. He threw his head out the window and dry heaved. Nothing came up, but the spasms wouldn't stop. This is where, on a normal job with the girls, Gray would start taunting his guild mate about his weakness. Instead Gray clenched his fists to keep from rubbing the Dragonslayer's back to soothe him.

Suddenly the train car lurched and the window slammed down with a vicious smack on Natsu's head.

"Fuck!"

He pulled back too quickly, already dizzy with motion sickness and lack of food. Natsu stumbled over his feet, clutching his head, and slammed face first into the wall. He was unconscious, and he was going down. Without a second thought Gray was in motion. His arms went around Natsu from behind and they both fell to the floor in a heap. Gray was in a sitting position with Natsu's back pressed into his stomach and chest, knees folded up on either side of the knocked out mage. A pink head rested just below his chin. Gray's breathing picked up.

 _Natsu's in my lap._

Yeah, after a blow to the head on a moving train. Not what Gray had in mind. Still, his body did not seem to care. He carefully arranged Natsu's arms and legs to be more comfortable. That hit had nothing on Erza, but maybe it would do the trick. He could wake Natsu up when they arrived. He fisted his hands again to keep them from wrapping around Natsu's chest in an embrace. Gray's conscience reminded him that he should probably pick Natsu up and put him on one of the sleeper benches. Even as he thought this, he pressed his face into those pink locks and breathed in.

 _Natsu's scent._

He smelled warm somehow, not quite the cinnamon smoke of Gray's dreams but something akin to it. Spices. Fire. Gray gazed in front of him, admiring all the shades of pink. From far away it seemed to be all one color, but this close? There were different shades mixed in, lighter, darker. He had only ever looked at Natsu this way when he watched him sleep out on jobs a few times, and never this close. Gray had always been afraid someone would wake up and catch him staring at the fire mage's sleeping face but he could not stop himself.

Natsu wasn't groaning in his sleep, or twitching restlessly. Even when Erza punched him out for a trip, he did not sleep peacefully. It was strange. Gray wondered if he had really hurt himself.

 _With a head that hard, I think he'll be fine._

His mind was sure to come up with quality mockery when it was too late. But really, he'd never seen Natsu this still on a train. Gray's hand came up on it's own, fingers running through Natsu's hair. He tried to sear this moment into his memory. The way Natsu smelled. The feel of his back pressed against him. The tempo of his breathing as he rested. Gray didn't want to forget a single detail. That familiar ache in his chest came forward with a vengeance. Natsu shifted in his sleep, turning his face to the side to rest fully on Gray's chest. The fire mage inhaled deeply, and sighed in his sleep.

 _Oh fuck._

Gray was hard as stone. He was surprised it hadn't happened sooner, honestly. The ice mage tried to rearrange himself without disturbing Natsu, but there wasn't a lot he could do when they were pressed against each other so closely. Natsu moved again, pushing harder against his chest and shoving his nose up to Gray's neck. He sniffed hard, like an animal after prey. A gutteral moan came out of his mouth. It was the sexiest thing that Gray had ever heard. His cock shot harder somehow, defying physics and reason. Gray happened to glance down. His eyes widened in shock, and his mouth began to water.

Natsu was hard too.

...

Natsu drifted up towards consciousness slowly. In his nose was the most delicious scent he had ever encountered. It smelled of pine, and snow, and... _excitement._ Natsu liked it. A lot. Floating on the edges of awareness, he buried his face in the smell and moaned. Natsu felt heat between his legs like never before. It throbbed and pulsed and he felt his hips thrust forward of their own accord. Natsu kept swimming towards the surface. He needed to wake up, he didn't want to miss this. Sleepily, he reached down towards his thighs, needing pressure there for some reason. His hand brushed against his hardness, and he grabbed himself with a sigh as he pulled in more sweet, snow scented air.

 _Hardness._

Natsu shot out of sleep, leaning forward with a gasp. He looked down in disbelief at his erection. Then the nausea hit him, full force, and he began to wither.

 _No! Wait!_

Natsu began to panic. The first hard on of his life, after so long, and motion sickness was robbing him of it. He leaned back where he was before, willing it to come back. Pine and winter and want filled his nose. His cock sprang to life again.

"Natsu?"

Natsu jumped at Gray's voice. He had forgotten where he was, what he was doing. Suddenly he was aware he was sitting between Gray's legs, leaning against him. With a raging hard on. He shot forward again, intending to scramble from Gray's lap. When the urge to vomit returned, however, he sat back in defeat.

 _What the fuck is going on..._

Natsu found it strange, but Gray made no move to get up.

"What happened?" Natsu asked, pulling his scarf off and laying it in his lap to cover himself.

"The window slammed into your head, then you face planted into the wall. It was impressive. I caught you when you fell." Gray's voice was rough and full of gravel.

"Are you wearing some weird cologne? Something that smells like pine?"

"Cologne? No, what the hell? Are you saying I stink?" Gray was unnaturally still, expression blank.

"No, it smells wonderful." Natsu cringed at his answer, but still turned his face more towards Gray. He couldn't help it. "I mean, I don't feel sick at all. I feel good. But when I sit up it comes back again. You use some new soap?"

"No. You have the strongest nose of anyone I know, haven't I always smelled this way?" Natsu pondered this.

"Not exactly. It's different somehow. I can't explain it. But I don't feel sick when I smell it." _It makes me hard. Gray's scent. What the fuck._ "How much shit are you gonna give me if I want to stay this way for the rest of the train ride?" Natsu asked hesitantly, dreading Gray's response. What was he supposed to tell him? _Oh, I smelled you and not only am I not motion sick, but I'm hard as a rock. Which has never happened to me before, even though I'm twenty fucking years old._ He waited for his guild mate to shove him off and laugh as he puked his guts out again.

"I won't make fun of you." Gray paused. "To the others. But when it's just us I will give you so much hell about this."

"Tch!"

Natsu made an exasperated sound as he started to lean forward, but Gray stopped him. His arm snaked around Natsu's chest and pulled him back against him.

"It's okay, I won't say anything. I don't want you to be sick. It's fine."

Natsu sat back, mind spinning in wild circles. He waited for Gray to pull back his arm, but the ice mage left it wrapped around him. They rode in uneasy silence, afraid to speak and shatter this peace. The train ate up the miles, racing towards conflict and danger. For now, there was only the smell of pine and sound of their breaths.


	4. Calm

**Chapter Text**

The mages sat at the hotel's restaurant in silence, Natsu putting down a staggering amount of food. They had left Magnolia in mid-afternoon, but the sun had set now. Natsu was usually overjoyed to get off of any transportation, but after what had happened he couldn't help but feel a stab of disappointment as the vehicle slowed to a stop. After disembarking from the train without a word, they made their way to the hotel that had been booked for them. The Oracle had insisted on making all of their travel arrangements, and no one was going to question her word. Natsu thought that she probably had more power than anyone on the council, but having eerily accurate prophecy would do that he supposed. She had insisted the council pay all of their expenses on such a dangerous job, and so Natsu would take full advantage. The food at this hotel was delicious, but more than that with a face full of food, Natsu did not have to talk. Gray and Natsu had not said anything to each other since the train, and the quiet was awkward and loaded with tension. Natsu began to feel the effects of his previous sleepless night. He'd been unable to calm his mind, thoughts running in circles. Dorobo. His teammates who he had to leave behind on this mission. And Gray, twitching and moaning in climax. Natsu had screwed up, catching Gray like that. All night long he tried to banish the images from his mind. When the sun rose that morning, Natsu felt the light illuminate everything that was wrong with him, the indifferent rays pointing out his weaknesses.

When they were both done eating, they glanced up at each other. Gray held Natsu's gaze for a long moment before speaking.

"God, I'm tired. I didn't sleep at all last night."

"Me neither. I guess the Oracle knew what she was talking about. I wouldn't want to go fight Dorobo like this."

"Definitely not. You finished?"

Natsu nodded in agreement as they stood up and grabbed their bags, heading up the stairs towards their room. Gray unlocked the door and they filed inside.

"Some Oracle." Gray spat.

There was only one bed in this room. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. Why would she book a room with only one bed? Distrust scratched at the back of his mind. That bed looked like a threat to Natsu. Sure, he and Gray had shared a single bed so many times that it wasn't even worth mentioning. When they went on a job and shared a room, they used to fight about it. Neither would win, and both would end up in the bed anyway, refusing to give an inch. Nowadays they knew the futility of an argument about sleeping arrangements. They didn't bat an eye. Usually.

Today was anything but usual for Natsu. Still, it would seem weird if he brought it up, so Natsu kept quiet. He realized he was still standing in front of the door. Gray had already stripped off his shirt and was washing up in the bathroom. Natsu put down his gear on the floor and kicked off his sandals. He really was tired. Maybe it wouldn't be an issue and he would be out as soon as his head hit the pillow. Gray stepped out of the bathroom wiping his face with a towel, and Natsu's eyes followed a stray drop of water as it dripped down his chest and across the scar on his abdomen. He forced his eyes up to Gray's face. The ice mage looked at him warily, like a dog you suspect might be rabid. Natsu wordlessly pushed past Gray into the bathroom and shut the door as his face flamed. Nothing would be easy on him today.

Natsu finished washing up and then just sat on the bathroom floor, face in his hands. _Shit._ He had gotten an erection today. All his life he'd done everything trying to get hard. Touching himself raw. Aphrodisiacs. Spells. Herbs. Drugs. He'd even tried hiring a prostitute to jack him off, thinking if it was someone else, a woman, maybe it would work. But nothing ever did. Then today, pressed into Gray's hard, toned chest, breathing in that cool winter smell... Natsu pulled at his hair, head between his knees. _Get a fucking grip, Natsu._ Thinking about Gray now did odd things to his chest. It felt like it was stretching, too small to fit everything inside anymore. Tight. Aching. His thoughts drifted back to that drop of water running down Gray's skin. He'd wanted to lick it up. _This is bad. Shit._

"Natsu, I'm turning off the light, okay? I'm dead on my feet." Natsu jumped guiltily.

"O-okay. Me too. Be there in a sec." _Be there in a sec? Like he cares. Shut up, you idiot. Get it together._

Natsu splashed some more water on his face and gathered his courage. When he opened the door, he was thankful the room was dark. Natsu had the eyes of a dragon. He could see in the dark as well as any night predator, but could not be seen. If it was really too dark, and even his keen eyes couldn't see, he could always use his flames to guide himself. It was not too dark for him in the room, however, and he could easily make out Gray's form on the bed. Natsu did not know if he was asleep yet, but he was still, his breathing even. The blankets were pushed over to Natsu's side. Gray hardly ever used them, and always gave them to Natsu to cover himself with. When Natsu considered it, he realized it was pretty thoughtful. He could've just gone to sleep on top of them and let Natsu fend for himself. Looking back over the years, Gray had always done this when they shared a bed, made sure to give the bedding to his guild mate. His chest stretched strangely again at the thought.

Natsu headed over to the bed and with a deep breath he climbed in beside Gray, pulling the blankets over himself. The fire mage wasn't cold, he just needed to cover up. He felt too... exposed. The bed was comfortable, but Natsu wished he was outside under the stars. He could lose himself in the infinite sky. It made him think of Igneel, and a time where he belonged to someone. He had Fairy Tail and his guild mates, but it wasn't quite the same. He had been Igneel's child, the most critical thing in the fire dragon's life. After Igneel left, he found his Fairy Tail family, but he'd never again had that connection. Being _the only one_ to someone, not one of many. He turned towards Gray and amended his thoughts. Natsu could give up his stars if it meant he could look at Gray's sleeping face instead. _Gray._ With the ice mage sleeping next to him, and no one here to intrude, he let his thoughts have free reign. Natsu was tired of fighting them.

He pressed his face close to Gray's hair and inhaled. _Oh God._ As the scent of pine and ice filled him up, he felt himself stir again. Natsu eased in, running his nose through the raven strands. He wanted to touch himself, but for his entire life that had led to nothing but pain and disappointment. Negative reinforcement made him hesitate, but tonight seemed different. It felt sacrilegious, but he couldn't stop. Natsu reached into his pants and grasped himself. _Fuck. Gray._ He was hard again, incredibly so. He had seen his erection earlier, had felt it swell and throb, but had not been able to touch it. He understood now. Nothing felt this good. Not his hardest earned victory, or the most delicious food he'd ever eaten. Not a pile of Jewels after a hard mission. Nothing. He gave a tentative stroke and tried unsuccessfully to bite back a moan.

"Nnngggh."

Natsu's lungs were full of Gray's scent, and he felt the warmth of Gray's skin on his face. He couldn't remember ever feeling this good. The Dragonslayer moved his hand slowly, up and down, trying to memorize the feeling of his cock in his hand.

"Haahh... mmmm..."

His breath came in ragged pants and his tempo increased. Fuck, it was pure bliss. He knew he needed to be quiet, or risk Gray waking up, but his self control was nowhere to be seen. Natsu was twenty years old. He'd never touched himself like this. Though he could get hard, that didn't mean he could finish. Natsu wanted to know. He wanted to know _bad._ Pleasure shot up his spine as he jerked and twitched. _Gray._ His hand flew up and down, faster, harder. Natsu reached down with his other hand to cup his cup his balls. His body curled in on itself involuntarily.

"Nnnngh, fuck... _Gray..._ "

Natsu was so lost in himself, he didn't notice the change in Gray's scent that signaled the ice mage was awake. Awake and _aroused._

"Gray..."

...

Gray had fallen asleep almost instantly. Now, soft sounds and a gentle rocking pulled him into wakefulness. Gray could feel Natsu's weight in the bed beside him, close, comforting and familiar. He was with Natsu and all was right with the world, his sleepy mind whispered to him. He could feel Natsu's breath on the back of his neck. It felt wonderful. As he woke more fully, he became of aware of low noises, right in his ear.

"Nnngggh."

Natsu moaned. Was he having a nightmare? Gray wanted to comfort him, but was not sure Natsu would welcome being woken up because of a bad dream. He could hear Natsu's reaction even now. _"What am I, a child?"_

"Haahh... mmmm..."

With Natsu's mouth so close to his ear, Gray knew these were not the sounds of a nightmare. More like pleasure. Gray felt the gentle rocking of the bed, and his dazed mind snapped with awareness. _Oh my God._ Natsu was _masturbating_. In bed. Next to Gray. The Devil Slayer was hard in an instant. He wanted to touch himself, stroke his cock, finish in time with Natsu, but he dared not move or Natsu would know he was awake. He wanted to hear what kind of sounds he made when he came. Better yet, he wanted Natsu to cum on him, mark him with his seed. He shuddered at the mere thought. Natsu's mouth was searing next to Gray's skin.

Gray had not even seen Natsu with an erection until today, and this was not for a lack of trying, he was ashamed to admit. If Gray woke up before everyone else on a job, he often glanced over at where the Dragonslayer slept, looking for the telltale signs of a morning hard on. He had done this countless times, and yet Natsu was never hard. Ever. Gray had wood almost every morning, so he had always thought it was strange that Natsu did not ever seem to. Maybe Dragonslayers were different. He wanted to see Natsu's hard cock, even just through his pants. Now that he had seen it, well... curiosity killed the cat. Or the ice mage, if he ever got his wish. He'd never seen someone so big. Natsu was truly glorious freak of nature. Now the fire wizard was stroking that huge, hard shaft right next to Gray. His own shaft ached. His mouth watered, wanting to take Natsu's length inside it. His hands itched to stroke him. Gray could not decide if he was in heaven or hell.

"Nnnngh, fuck... _Gray..._ "

Gray's world stopped turning, and he was pretty sure his heart had exploded in his chest. He was okay with that. Had Natsu really just called his name as he pleasured himself? Maybe Gray had finally lost it. He was imagining things.

"Gray..."

Gray let out a harsh breath. He was frozen with indecision. His heartbeat thundered so loud in his chest he was sure Natsu's keen ears could hear it. _Turn over and touch him. Kiss him. Stroke him._ Yet what if Natsu pushed him away? Gray didn't know if he could handle the rejection. He really was in hell now, but the soundtrack was beautiful. Natsu seemed like he was getting close, and for some reason it seemed vital not to disturb him. _Natsu coming, pressed up against your back._ A whine escaped Gray's lips at the thought. Natsu froze and went silent, sniffing the air in a way that let you know he was scenting. Gray felt him turn away. It sounded like he was trying to calm his breathing. He was absolutely still, probably hoping with everything he had that Gray had not just caught him touching himself while calling his name. _Ah, I screwed up._ Gray felt like a child watching their balloon soar away into the sky, irretrievable. There was no way to get back that moment. He had wasted the chance of a lifetime, and now he was cursing himself.

It was an effort to calm his thoughts. _Now is not the time for this. We have to face Dorobo tomorrow. He has killed at least twenty elemental mages._ With thoughts of death and and battle in his mind, he realized he was right not to have reached out to Natsu. Embracing the fire mage, or confessing his feelings would throw them both off their game in battle the next day. Their heads would be reeling, one way or the other. His stupidity could have gotten one or both of them killed. His heart clenched at the thought. After this fight however, Fairy Tail, as well as Natsu and Gray, would be heavily rewarded. It wouldn't be necessary to go out on jobs for awhile. Natsu's voice calling his name played on repeat in his head, and his resolve clicked into place.

 _After we fight Dorobo tomorrow, I will tell Natsu the truth._


	5. Storm

**Chapter Text**

The woods were eerily silent as Natsu and Gray wound their way through neglected pathways and overgrown trails. Storm clouds roiled overhead. Natsu had been skeptical of the magic council's information of where Dorobo was supposed to be. He didn't trust that little white haired Oracle, but from what he had heard of the dark mage, this seemed like the sort of place he would hide.

He stole elemental abilities; water, fire, air, earth, and aspects of these elements, like ice and iron. Surrounded by trees and rocky formations, lightning flashing in the sky, the earth was truly reigning here. After picking their way through some fairly dense brush, Natsu was glad when they came onto relatively open ground. The fire mage had been nervous about heading out today. He didn't fear his enemy, but the awkward silent trip ahead of him.

When they got underway, everything went quiet. They glanced at each other often, communicating silently in the way soldiers can. There was danger here. Both could sense it. Natsu's ears reached out into the forest, eyes scanning through the trees. He moved in front of Gray, trying to scent what lay ahead. Gray followed after him, checking behind them, making sure nothing took them by surprise.

There were no animals, not even birds flying overhead. The only sounds were of leaves rustling underfoot as they crept forward and the crash of thunder overhead. Natsu sniffed hard, then crouched down and waited for Gray to reach him.

"I smell him up there. Has to be him. It smells like... like everything. My nose is useless now, but he's close." Natsu spoke fast and low.

"Just him?"

"I think so."

"Okay then. Just like we planned." Gray would play defense and distraction, throwing long ranged attacks. Natsu would hit hard and dirty up close, his specialty. Dorobo only killed mages by taking abilities, and only elements. The few mages who had watched their friends die at his hands had told the council about his magic. He always attacked with the element opposite his opponent. His regular attacks were not very strong, but he was fast and agile. To observers, it seemed like he was toying with his enemies before throwing his finishing spell, Nottoru.

The Nottoru was not as fast as some of his other spells, but could change direction and follow the target. It busted through shields and wards and magic circles. Never had Nottoru been cast and a life not been lost. There were no misfires. The few witnesses described the stance Dorobo took when readying the spell. It was the same each time. Natsu would be ready.

Gray nodded seriously.

"Okay. Let's go." The ice mage went to crest the hill. Natsu put a hand on his chest to stay him.

"Gray, wait."

"What is it?" Gray met Natsu's eyes. The Dragonslayer looked more serious than Gray had ever seen him. He kept his hand on his chest and furrowed his brow before speaking.

"Be careful." Gray mirrored the expression of worry. Natsu was waiting for a response. A burst of thunder exploded through sky. Ominous. Threatening.

"You too."

Natsu nodded, and worry transformed into sharp focus. Together they climbed over the rise.

They stopped atop the hill. Dorobo stood in the clearing, obviously waiting for them. He wore long green robes with a tangle of medallions at his neck. Natsu's dragon whispered to him as he glanced at the largest one. _Necromancer._ He narrowed his gaze. Dorobo had bright green eyes that seemed to glow with a light of their own. His long black hair was streaked with gray, but his face looked young, ageless. In his hand was a large wooden staff with an opalescent lacrima on one end. He smiled at them, and without thinking Natsu found himself stepping in front of Gray and growling. Dorobo's smile grew larger, a cat with mice in hand.

"Oh that tiny little minx. She said fire mage and ice mage, not Dragonslayer and Devil Slayer. This does complicate things. I was looking forward to taking some more fire today, but since I can only take your flames and not your Dragon Aspect, I guess I'll have to make do with your friends ice instead."

Natsu's growling increased in volume. _Dragon Aspect._ No one but Igneel, Wendy and Gajeel had ever referred to Natsu's dragon qualities that way. How did Dorobo know so much about Dragonslayers? But that wasn't even the real issue here. Dorobo had been targeting fire mages lately and Natsu had expected to be the one in his crosshairs. Now it seemed he was after Gray, and that pissed the Dragonslayer off.

Gray glanced at Natsu. He seemed positively feral. Gray looked on in shock as scales broke out on Natsu's face and arms. He was entering Dragon Force before the battle even began? Natsu's teeth seemed longer, sharper. He bared them at Dorobo like a rabid beast.

"Natsu?"

Natsu looked at Gray for the barest of instances. Gray saw red flames dancing in his eyes before Natsu put himself more squarely between his ally and his enemy. Natsu was not home right now. Gray's throat grew tight as Dorobo laughed.

"Oh my but that is interesting. They send children to face me who can't even face themselves. Let's get on with this."

Without warning, Natsu launched himself at Dorobo, fists full of flames and face twisted with rage. The wizard wanted to hurt Gray? Thought he would take Gray's magic? Over Natsu's dead body.

"Natsu!"

Natsu did not answer, did not even speak as he and the mage squared off. The fire mage threw kicks and punches as Dorobo blocked and dodged. He was _fast._ Natsu's right fist flew at the wizards face. Dorobo brought up his staff to block it and swung the other end around towards Natsu's gut. The fire mage brought up his knee to take the impact. It knocked him back a few steps but he managed to keep his feet. As the tempo of the fight increased, Natsu's fire crept from his fists up his arms. Natsu did not give Dorobo enough time to draw on any magic; he threw attack after attack without mercy. Gray needed to help his guild mate, but the two were a blur of motion. Lightning fast attacks and close quarters combat meant that any attack Gray threw could hit Natsu if he didn't time it perfectly.

Gray raised his arms and took a steadying breath. This was Natsu, after all. He'd been watching the Dragonslayer his whole life. No one knew Natsu's body as well as Gray, not even Natsu himself. Each shift of his feet, the way his hips pivoted, the angle of his punches... they talked to Gray without words. A language of flesh that only the two of them spoke. Gray only needed to watch and wait. Natsu threw a right hook, which Dorobo blocked, but Natsu followed with his left knee, straight into Dorobo's gut. The mage doubled over with a sharp exhale, causing Natsu to take a step back, ready to follow with a punch.

"Ice Make Ice Geyser!"

Gray slammed the ground in front of him and spikes of ice shot up from the earth under Dorobo. He avoided the worst of the attack but caught some of the spikes in his right leg. Natsu saw him stagger and took the opening to slam his waiting fist into his face. The dark mage lost his footing and went down to one knee.

"Ice Make Prison!"

Gray lifted his arms into the air and a cage of ice surrounded Dorobo. The magic council wanted Dorobo alive if at all possible, and even if they hadn't, Fairy Tail mages didn't kill their enemies. Not if it could be avoided. But Natsu... his face was vicious and his attacks merciless. Gray had never seen the fire mage fight with such an expression. If he let Natsu keep going after him, he might kill him. Gray didn't want that on his friend's conscience. Dorobo stood and looked at the Devil Slayer like one would look at a small child who'd done something mischievous but adorable. A snap of his fingers, and Gray's ice dissolved around him.

"You'll have to do better than that, little iceling."

Dorobo shot a ball of bright white magic at Gray. As it arced towards him Natsu closed in on his enemy once more. When he swung his fists to strike, he was blown backwards by a shockwave. Dorobo had put up a ward.

"Ice Make Shield!"

Gray threw up a layer of ice to block the magic. This wasn't the Nottoru, but he still didn't feel like eating a huge energy blast. The spell hit Gray's shield, and shattered it into a thousand pieces before crashing into the ice mage. Gray flew backwards, slamming into a tree and collapsing to the ground. He drew up onto his knees, spitting blood onto the dirt. _Fuck._ Natsu was back on his feet, and he looked furious.

"Fire Dragon Roar!"

Flames shot from Natsu's mouth, hitting the magicians wards with a crackling sound. It held at first, but then the shield began to sizzle and crack. After a few moments, the shield exploded around him, but before the fire enveloped him Dorobo began spinning his staff. It twisted faster and faster, blowing Natsu's flames away with a strong wind. Natsu spared a glance at Gray. The mage was on his feet, but wobbling slightly after taking such a big hit. As Natsu watched blood trickle out of his mouth, his face contorted with rage. _He hurt Gray._ Rationality drained out of him, replaced with unthinking fury. Dorobo swung his staff in a wide arc, shooting a gust of wind magic at the ice mage. Natsu jumped in front of the attack, knocking it aside with a blast of fire. The fire mage didn't know if Gray was in fighting shape yet, but he couldn't risk looking again. He wouldn't let Dorobo get near him anyway. _Gray is strong, he can take care of himself. You've faced worse than this together. What is wrong with you?_ Natsu didn't know. His instincts were screaming at him like never before. His Dragon Aspect. _Protect._

The dark mage shot another wave of energy towards Gray. The Dragonslayer again jumped in front of the attack and shot out flames to counter it. This time, the magic arced around Natsu's and his fire to target the ice mage directly. Gray threw up an ice shield and leapt behind it, and the magic crashed into a tree, splintering it into dust along with half a dozen others that were nearby. Natsu met Gray's eyes; that attack could've hurt him, maybe killed him. The fire that had spread from Natsu's hands to engulf his arms now swallowed up his whole body. The fire mage was a walking inferno.

Dorobo flattened his palm and held it straight out in front of him, as though reaching to shake Natsu's hand. With a twist of his hand, he jerked his elbow in close to his chest. Chunks of earth shot up around the feet of both mages. Natsu avoided one only to catch another in his arm and back. He felt a cut open on his bicep, blood pouring from the wound. Gray dodged to land on a different piece of rising stone, tossing him into the air. He landed in a slide, ripping up furrows of dirt with his hands and feet as he dragged himself to a stop. His hands were a torn up mess.

Natsu climbed back to his feet. A switch flipped inside him. _Enough._ Lightning began to arc around Natsu's body, an electric aura mixed in with a tower of flame. A Lightning Flame Dragon Roar could finish this. If it could tear a hole through Tenrou, it could take this thief out in an instant.

Doroba crouched and pointed the lacrima on his staff at the ground. In the blink of an eye, he raised his empty fist into the air. Natsu's eyes widened in recognition. _Protect._ His feet started to move, running towards Gray. PROTECT. Gray felt his stomach fly into his chest. They couldn't reach him in time to stop the spell. As the dark mage brought the two fists together, one finger on each hand pointed at Gray as he shouted.

"Nottoru!" _Usurper._

Gray's world was traveling in slow motion as the spell flew at him. It was beautiful, white with streaks of pink and red, a bright center with flowing trails behind it. Natsu would try to take this hit for him, jump in front of this deadly magic. He knew it like he knew the sun would rise. Natsu would take the hit, and then he would die. _No._ Gray surged forward, running towards the blast with all his might. Natsu did not even see Gray running for it. His eyes were locked onto it, a dragon after it's prey. Inside the voice of his dragon was screaming. _A dragon protects its mate._ His feet pushed at the earth, fists pumping up and down, flames and lightning bursting around him. He had never wanted something so badly in all his life. He had to get there. He had to save Gray.

The ice mage's vision was flashing, frame by frame, as he raced towards the light. Natsu, running towards death for Gray.  
 _Flash._ His village, destroyed by Deliora, bodies crushed beneath the rubble.  
 _Flash._ Natsu's fire, crackling with lightning. Scales tracing across his skin.  
 _Flash._ Ur with a smile on her face, transforming as she used Iced Shell.  
 _Flash._ Natsu's eyes, dancing with red fire and deadly determination.  
No. Not again. Not Natsu.

The distance closed, time all but standing still, and Gray felt relief suffuse him. He would make it before Natsu. The Dragonslayer was too far away, would never intercept it in time. Only then did Natsu look at Gray, and realization dawned on the fire mage's face. Both trying to sacrifice themselves to save the other. Running. Praying. Each terrified that they would live. Longing for death to save a life. Fear. Gray had never seen the expression on Natsu's face until now. It was hard to recognize it on him, like he was wearing clothes that did not belong to him. Natsu knew he was not fast enough. He could move faster than Gray, but the spell was after the ice mage. _No._

Natsu's feet shot out flames at the earth. He pointed his hands behind him, and they burned with everything Natsu had. Propelled by his fire, it was enough. Just barely enough. A second later would have been too late. Natsu threw his body sideways in front of Gray, and the Nottoru slammed into his chest. The impact blasted him into Gray as flames poured out of the fire mages body and into Dorobo. The ice mage threw his arms around Natsu, and the pair flew backwards, knocking down a few saplings before they crashed into a rock. Gray took the force of the impact on his back and head. His world dimmed gray and red. Not because of the damage to his body. Something was broken inside his soul. He looked down at Natsu, motionless in his arms, then up at Dorobo. The flames had gone inside him, and he was coughing and sputtering. Gray thought he saw blood drip from his mouth.

"I wasn't ready for that. They really pulled out all the stops when they sent this one, didn't they?" Dorobo hacked some more, bending over and spitting gore onto the ground. "This will take some getting used to. You lucked out today, little ice prince. There's no way I can take your ice today. I've never consumed power like this before. I'll have come find you later." He smiled a hawk's smile. "I'd be honored to meet your friends." With a flash of fire, Dorobo vanished.

Gray looked down at Natsu, and there was no air to breathe.

"Natsu!" He pulled him up closer to his chest and put a shaking hand to his throat. He was trembling too much to feel anything, rocking them back and forth. Natsu did not move. Did not wake.

"Natsu! Wake up!" He shook the fire mage's shoulders, lifted his chin up to look into Dragonslayer's face. Gray heard a strange moaning sound, and then realized it was coming from his own throat.

"Natsu, don't do this to me please. I love you Natsu, please don't-" A sob was wrenched from deep in Gray's chest. "Don't leave me." Tears began to run down his cheeks, a dam burst, never to be fixed. Gray was lost.  
Blood began to pour from Natsu's ears, along with a single tear from the corner of his eye. His body suddenly trembled, then went very still.

Gray's lips trembled as leaned down and pressed them to Natsu's. They were warm, and soft, and perfect. A prayer answered in hell. A wish granted in a nightmare. Gray let out a low wail. It was the sound of death. He pulled back and looked down into Natsu's face.

He was greeted by black eyes looking up at him, with the red of flames within them. Natsu smiled.


	6. Aftershock

**Chapter Text**

Natsu's world was black and full of pain. Through the darkness he could smell blood and sorrow. He tasted copper and the salt of tears. _Gray's tears._ Gray's blood? Natsu struggled to open his eyes, but they were so heavy. He felt something brush against his mouth, soft and sweet. He liked it. He wanted more. Finally his eyes wrenched open to gaze up at Gray's crying face. Natsu tried to smile at him. He lifted a shaking hand from his chest to brush Gray's cheek, only noticing it was soaked in blood after it streaked across his face. Gray clasped it and held it on his face for him. Natsu didn't have the strength.

"Gray, you're crying." Had Natsu ever seen Gray cry like this? He thought not, but his mind was swimming in strange circles and he couldn't be sure.

"No I'm not." His voice cracked in betrayal.

"You're such a tsundere."

"Shut up Natsu."

Tears mixed with red on the hand covering Gray's cheek. Natsu tried to laugh and it came out in a spray of blood with a vicious cough. Gray's eyes widened in terror, then looked down at the gaping wound on Natsu's chest. Gray released Natsu's hand to rest on the gash, sealing it in ice to stop the bleeding. Natsu shivered.

"Sorry." Gray muttered, taking Natsu's hand back in his.

Natsu looked down at their joined hands, and his brow furrowed in concentration. He held his breath for a moment, straining, beads of sweat breaking out anew on his face. After a moment, he let out his breath in a rush and rested his head against Gray, pulling their hands in to his chest.

"Bastard really took my fire." His face looked forlorn, confused. "Now I'm nothing." Natsu glanced up at Gray, who was still had silent tears streaking down. Natsu smiled. "It was worth it though." He shivered again, hard and jolting. "It's really cold inside."

"Natsu, this is all my fault. I'm so sorry."

"Gray, there's something I need to tell you." Gray waited, holding his breath. "You're an idiot, Gray."

"Natsu!" Natsu's world dimmed, eyes threatening to close. "Natsu, stay awake! Natsu!"

"I wanted you to know you're really important to me Gray." His words started to come out in mumbles. Gray noticed his pupils were two different sizes, one a gaping maw, the other a pinpoint of the darkest black within his already dark eyes. Fear shot through the ice mage. "Don't blame yours... my...stupid..." Natsu's mouth wasn't obeying him, eyes fluttering as he fought to keep them open. "Don't let Juvia touch y... claim what's mine...snow..." Natsu's eyes slammed closed. _Juvia?_ What was he talking about?

Wendy. Gray had to get Natsu to Wendy. No one had lived this long after taking that magic. All the mages who had been hit with this spell had died, but none of them had Wendy's sky magic to heal them. Maybe she could help release Natsu's magic, keep it from building up inside without an outlet and killing him.

Gray picked Natsu up, and he was running through the trees. _"Bastard really took my fire. Now I'm nothing."_ His fire didn't matter, Natsu was everything to Gray, but the ice mage would get those flames back if it was the last thing he did. It had taken them awhile to get this deep in the forest, but they had been moving slowly, cautiously. Now Gray flew, willing his feet faster and faster. When he got to the village, he would steal a car with a Self Energy plug. Nothing mattered except Natsu.

 _Natsu._ His emotions threatened to well up again and Gray shoved them back down. He'd been doing it his entire life after all. It was his goddamned specialty. Now was not the time. Later he could let the broken shards of himself fall apart. For now he held Natsu to his chest, and let the weight of the fire mage keep the shattered pieces inside.

He glanced down at Natsu. The Dragonslayer's breath was coming faster now, quick gasps like he couldn't take in enough air. Gray wondered if he had punctured a lung with one of his ribs. He was probably bleeding internally. _Stop it. Focus. Run._ Gray did his best to silence his thoughts.

He held Natsu tighter.

He ran faster.

Gray knew he was getting close to the village now that he had reached the road. He tried to remember the S.E. cars he'd seen when they were there. Suddenly, he noticed something ahead. His arms tightened prospectively around Natsu. The fire mage was still breathing in gasps, sweat dripping off of him despite how cold his skin was. As he got closer he realized it was a car with two men in it. Wizards. An S.E. car. His eyes narrowed but he did not slow. He would blow these mages away and take their vehicle, consequences be damned. Failing to get Natsu to Wendy would be far more punishing. _Ice will fail and fire fall._

Gray was deciding what he should do with Natsu while he fought when one of the men called out to him.

"You're Gray Fullbuster?"

Gray stopped in front of them, wary. Ready to fight.

"How do you know my name?"

The man took the pair in, eyes full of questions. Between Natsu's chest and back, along with the myriad cuts on Gray's hands, they were covered in blood and filth. Gray clutched Natsu to him like a mother protecting her child. Frightening in its intensity.

"A little white haired mage gave us a pile full of Jewels and told us to come here and wait for you. She said if you came before three o'clock, we should use our magic to get you and your friend to Magnolia as fast as we could." The Oracle. Gray's knew by their expressions that his face was dark and angry.

"And if we didn't get here by two?"

"Then we were supposed to evacuate the area in a fifty mile radius and inform the magic council."

Gray was dumbstruck. Evacuate? Fifty miles?

"Why?"

"She said it meant a dragon was coming to burn everything to the ground."

The Devil Slayer took that in. Gray had never truly known anger. Not until that very moment.

"She told us who you are, but who is he? Forgive me for asking but is he...is he..." Gray cut him off before he could say the word.

"He's the fucking dragon. Shut up and drive."

Gray climbed into the back seat and rearranged Natsu in his arms. He pressed his nose into his chest, hoping that Natsu had been right and it was Gray's scent that stopped the motion sickness. _Why would my smell stop his nausea?_ Gray could not care less, as long as it worked. The car took off and he realized that these wizards were professional drivers. They weaved effortlessly through the village at incredible speed and were on the road to Magnolia in minutes. If Gray tried to drive that quickly, he would lose control of the car and crash. Even so, he thought, _faster._

He wasn't sure how long it would take to get to the guild at this speed, or if they could maintain it. The ice mage looked down at Natsu. He was pale, his skin slick with sweat. He shivered every few moments , despite the heat. At least he didn't seem to be motion sick. As Gray watched, tear of blood dripped down Natsu's face.

 _Faster._

When they were almost halfway to Magnolia, they slowed to a stop. The driver was out of magic, and climbed out of the car. The other mage then switched to the drivers seat and strapped on the S.E. plug, but the driver didn't get back in.

"What are you doing? Get in let's go." Gray snapped.

"Walking back. I'm out of magic, dead weight. You're faster without me. I hope your friend is okay."

Gray didn't have a chance to respond before the other mage punched the accelerator. Only the chance to be grateful.

 _Faster._

About ten miles outside of Magnolia, the car stopped again. Gray knew it was coming, could see that the mage was tapped out. No magic. He took off the wrist strap and looked at Gray, eyes grave. He held it out and asked Gray a question.

"Got anything left?"

Did he? Gray looked down at Natsu. Did he have anything left? Had he finally lost everything there was to lose? Then Natsu began to seize. His whole body shook and quaked, a puppet with strings jerked all at once. A trickle of blood poured out of his mouth. Gray gripped his head and shoulders, heart full of dread. It was over as fast as it came.

"Gray."

Natsu choked out the word in his unconscious fever dream. Gray strapped on the plug as the other mage got out, and buried his face in Natsu's hair. He had everything left. With a nod to the driver, he raced toward Magnolia.

 _Faster._

Gray hit the outskirts of Magnolia and began to flag. His magic was almost gone. He pushed a little farther, vision flashing with light from the strain. Gray could almost see the guild. Then his eyesight began to strobe. At this rate he would lose consciousness.

 _Fuck it._

Gray stopped the car with Natsu in his arms and he staggered. He could barely stand, but it didn't matter. Natsu shivered, skin icy. Gray's feet obeyed, and ran towards Fairy Tail.

Gray burst through the guild doors and collapsed with Natsu in his lap.

"WENDY! LUCY!" Gray shouted.

"Gray! Natsu! What happened?"

The guild was a whirlwind, seeing their mages beaten and covered in blood. They had been waiting for their return, but did not expect Gray to bring Natsu in, shaking and broken. Wendy and Lucy rushed up, Elfman close behind.

"Wendy! Heal him! Please, Wendy." Everyone ached at the tears on his face and the desperation in his voice. "Lucy, he's freezing. Get him some blankets!" The guild gathered around them as Wendy knelt down. She didn't ask any questions. The sky Dragonslayer just got to work. Lucy rushed up with some blankets and wrapped them around the pair.

"Gray, let's move him into the infirmary." Elfman moved to take Natsu from Gray's arms. He couldn't even move , let alone carry Natsu. _Take Natsu?_

"DON'T TAKE HIM!" Gray's scream tore through the guild. All of Fairy Tail looked on, wide eyed.  
Wendy worked her magic.  
Natsu lay in Gray's arms, still as the grave.  
Gray bent over and pressed his face into Natsu's neck. "God Natsu, please." A sob came out, savage and lost. Gray's head spun, and the world rocked underneath him. He had used too much magic, spilled too much blood. Lost too much hope. He was going to pass out. Gray looked up and saw a flash of white hair. Not a Strauss.

The Oracle, and Yuki from the council. Gray's eyes flashed bright blue as he locked gazes with them, and a red haze clouded his vision. He wanted them dead. Right now, he was too weak.

"You. You both get out of here. You're our enemies."  
"Gray-" Makarov spoke, but Gray wasn't hearing.  
"You sent us to die!" Gray was fading, fighting to stay conscious. Natsu's enemy was here. Gray's enemy. He needed to protect them. "GET OUT OF HERE!"

It was no use. Gray went under, back twisted and doubled over, forehead tight against Natsu's throat. Wendy started to cry.

"His magic is too strong. I can heal his wounds but his magic is running wild."

...

Natsu sat on the riverbank where Gray and he used to fight. Gray was laying asleep in his lap. He ran his fingers through his raven hair. A great red dragon sat beside him. Natsu didn't look at it, just gazed at Gray's sleeping face.

"You're not Igneel."

"No. I'm not. Do you know who I am?" Natsu traced Gray's lips with his fingertips.

"You're me. I'm you."

"Yes." The dragon looked across the riverbank. The Oracle and the council woman stood on the other side. "You're enemies are near. A mate protects."

Natsu gently rubbed his thumb up Gray's cheek and looked at his other hand.

"He took my fire. Gray used his magic, got hurt. He is weak right now, and I am powerless." A tear ran down Natsu's cheek. He didn't know what to do, but also didn't know how to give up.

"Then give him strength, and he will give you power. You will get back your flames, they are your birthright. Together you'll be made whole. A mate protects. You have to choose."

Natsu knew his dragon was right. He pressed his lips to the ice mage's, and felt the magic that was overwhelming his body flow into Gray.

"Your mate needs the sky, and the sky needs the sun. I will keep them safe in here with you."

Natsu nodded, but kept his mouth on Gray's. Natsu would give them strength. Gray would give them power. They would be made whole. As he poured magic into Gray the river froze solid, rising to form a wall of ice. The dragon flew above to perch on the top, and watched their enemies below.

...

Lucy sat on the floor next to Gray and Natsu, feeling powerless. Tears streaked down Wendy's face. Natsu was not getting better, did not move. Did not wake. Lucy looked towards the Oracle. Gray said they were his enemy. What did he mean?

Suddenly there was a crackling sound, and a circle of ice formed in the floor around the four wizards. Lucy glanced at Gray, unsure. It had to be coming from him. Wendy saw Lucy's gaze and shook her head.

"It's coming from Natsu."

"But it's ice."

Then the ice began to build on itself, higher, surrounding the group. Everyone looked on in shock.

"It's okay!" Wendy said, but it didn't matter. The ice shot up around them, and before anyone could react, a giant bubble of white formed, enclosing the mages within. Inside the smooth sphere of ice, Lucy looked on in confusion. Wendy felt... safe. She smiled. "Lucy, it's fine. Natsu and Gray only want to keep us safe."

Outside the ice bubble, the guild and Yuki gaped. On the smooth, blue white circle of ice in front of where the council woman stood, a dragon was engraved. She felt it's eyes on her, and her heart beat faster. She moved closer to the Oracle, uncomfortable under its watchful gaze.

The carved dragon slithered across the ice, moving to follow her as she walked. Terror crept up her spine, and the dragons eyes told her things she needed no words to understand.


	7. Children

**Chapter Text**

A giant sphere of ice sat just inside the entrance to Fairy Tail, with Gray, Natsu, Lucy and Wendy sealed inside. A dragon was carved onto the ice, eyes locked onto Yuki and the Oracle. The white haired prophetess looked at the dragon in amusement. Yuki looked on in fear.

The guild was silent, all eyes on the pair, unsure how to proceed. A shadow passed over the guild masters face and he nodded to Erza. She approached the two with murder in her eyes.

"Fairy Tail will no longer be requiring your services." The Oracle's lips turned up in a knowing smile. Yuki rankled at being ordered by anyone.

"You think to make us leave? You don't have the right. We need to hear what happened."

Erza requipped into armor, sword in hand. The Oracle clapped her hands in glee.

"You can stay at your hotel. When Gray and Natsu wake up, I promise you we will come and find you." It didn't sound like a promise. Her words sliced through the air like a threat. Mirajane came up behind the red haired mage, already transformed into her Satan Soul takeover. The white haired council mage laughed, and then spoke in a singsong voice.

"Yuki is in trouble..." Yuki glared at her.

"Me?!" She looked back at the Fairy Tail mages. "All I want is to speak to those two when they wake up. The council has done nothing against you. You want to cross swords with us over the battle mad words of one wizard?" Gajeel stepped up next to Mira and Erza.

"Cross swords? You don't have a sword." The iron Dragonslayer's arm shifted into a long, vicious blade. "We have several." Makarov spoke up next. The guild looked at him and realized he was growing in size, taller, wider. His Titan magic had activated. They stepped back warily, knowing their guild master well enough to realize he needed space. When he towered over the gathered mages, his growth slowed.

"Gray said you are my enemy. When your child says someone has wronged them, you listen to them. We will wait until my children wake up, and they will tell us what happened. I promise you after that, one way of the other, you will be seeing us. I think you should go now."

Yuki looked at Makarov and understood for the first time why so many were afraid of him. She had only seen him as a grouchy old man, often drunk and out of hand at meetings of the guild leaders. Not as this fearsome giant with yellow eyes glowing, ready to bring destruction. Yuki tried to hide her shiver. The Oracle spoke up.

"Let's go Yuki. There's something I have to do." She smiled up at Makarov. "Don't worry, we'll be back." She skipped out of the guild, barefoot and carefree. Yuki followed behind, the weight of a giant on her shoulders and the eyes of a dragon watching her go.

"Tch! I don't like that little Seeress. She gives me the creeps."

Gajeel spat, arm retreating from blade into flesh. Erza requipped back into her clothes as Makarov shrunk down to his normal size.

"What now, master?" Erza asked, eyes locked on the ice that held their friends.

"No one touches that thing. I don't think that dragon would take very kindly if we tried to melt it, and I don't want to risk what might happen. For now we wait." He paused. "Jet, get over to Lamia Scale and bring Lyon, just in case. Mirajane, go and get Lissanna and Happy. Gajeel, have Lily fly you to Porlyusica's. Carla will go with you, to fly her back here. Tell her Natsu is..." Makarov choked on his words. "Tell her that Natsu is dying."

...

Inside the cocoon of ice, all was still. Wendy had exhausted her sky magic for the moment and was waiting for it to recharge some before working on their guild mate again. Natsu still rested in Gray's lap, who was bent over him awkwardly. Lucy could not stand to let him stay in such a painful looking position, and lay him down on the wooden floor of their ice bubble, flat on his back. Gray began moving restlessly in his sleep, grasping. Natsu's hand clenched and unclenched, reaching out through the fog of his unconsciousness. Gray turned and searched with clumsy slumbering hands until he found Natsu's head and shoulders. He clutched Natsu into his stomach, curling his body around the fire mage. Natsu circled behind Gray's knees with one arm, and his other hand searched out one of Gray's, grasping tightly. Both mages then grew still again, breathing even. The celestial mage looked at her wounded friends, holding hands, clinging to each other like twins in their mothers womb. _Or like lovers._ Lucy glanced at Wendy, a question in her eyes, but Wendy was not looking at her. She was looking at Natsu and Gray with a sad smile on her face. Lucy thought in that moment that Wendy was no longer the child she seemed. Those eyes took in things that others couldn't see.

"Can you tell how he is? Inside? What happened to him?" Lucy asked.

"I can use my magic to target specific injuries, so I healed his lungs first. A couple of ribs had broken and punctured them, and there was blood in them. I had to heal the rib bones first, get them out of the lungs then heal those. His body will absorb the blood on its own. I'm out of magic right now, his physical injuries are still bad. He still has some broken bones, but what worries me is the bleed in his brain. He would have suffocated if I hadn't done the lungs first, but his brain... It's bad, Lucy." Lucy was worried about Natsu, but impressed with the little Dragonslayer.

"How did you learn all this? I knew you could heal, but..." Wendy just smiled.

"I've been studying with Porlyusica, and at the healers guild hospital in Oshibana. I've learned a lot." Wendy's gaze went back to the pink haired mage. "Not enough though, I guess. Maybe Natsu will let us out soon, and I can replenish my magic by eating some air and work on him some more."

"You said that before, that it was Natsu's ice, but-" Lucy was interrupted by a crackling sound, like the surface of a frozen lake groaning under too much weight.

...

Natsu now lay on the riverbank next to Gray, holding the ice mage's hand in his and gazing at the sky. The dragon flew down from his perch on the ice wall as it creaked and shuddered. He landed next to Natsu.

"Your enemies are gone. Our mate is not in danger. He can no longer channel your magic until you mark him." Natsu still wouldn't look at his dragon. He lifted their joined hands and ran the fingers of his free one over Gray's knuckles.

"Mark him?" He felt the dragon's gaze, willing Natsu to face him. Natsu brought their clasped hands to his face and breathed in pine and snow. He closed his eyes. It was not as strong as his scent in real life, not in this ephemeral dreamscape, but it was enough to soothe him.

"For a dragon, a bite. For a human, a kiss. Mark him, and the mark will show on your palms. Then claim him. Two halves joined to make a whole."

"I can't."

"You must."

"Gray deserves better than me. I can't chain him to this. " He should have a choice, and he would never choose Natsu. Gray deserved a beautiful girl who could cook him food and have his children. Someone he could be proud to stand beside. Natsu was nothing. He had no fire, no strength. He couldn't even fight Gray anymore. Natsu was no one now. His entire life, he'd felt flames burning inside him. Now he felt cold. A tear ran down, and he made no move to stop it. "When did I start to feel this way? My chest hurts. My lungs. My throat. Is it supposed to hurt this much? " He couldn't ask the question he wanted to aloud. _How long have I wanted Gray?_ Natsu knew he was only asking himself. He wondered if he had the answer.

"Always. He is your mate. You wanted to be near him, and you did not know how, so you fought him. You wanted to protect him, and you did not know how, so you fought him. You wanted him to look at you, wanted him to touch you, wanted him to respect you. So you fought him. When you have a problem you seek to answer it with your fists. But not everything is answered by force and fire, Natsu. "

"It's all I know. All I have. All I am."

"It's not all you are."

Natsu said nothing.

"Your magic is going to kill you. You need your mate to live. Save the both of you. Mark him."

"He'll hate me forever. I can't." Huge black eyes that burned with fire looked at him in disgust.

"You are a fool, Natsu." The red dragon flew away as the wall of white crashed to the ground.

It buried them in ice.

...

Gray blinked his eyes. They felt like they had been closed for a thousand years.

"Gray. Thank God."

He looked around slowly, neck stiff and sore. Lyon sat in a chair next to the hospital bed he lay on, looking worse for wear. _Hospital bed?_

"Natsu."

He sat up in a rush, muscles screaming, and felt a tug on his hand. There was another bed pushed right up against his. The pink haired mage lay on it, unconscious, pale and panting. Someone had washed him, and put pajama pants on him. They couldn't put his shirt on. Gray and Natsu held hands, and those hands were encased in ice. Gray melted the ice away into nothing and stared at where Natsu's fingers wove through his.

"Gray."

Gray jumped at Lyon's voice and released Natsu's hand guiltily. Lyon furrowed his brow, glancing from Natsu and back to Gray.

"What happened to you out there Gray?"

Gray buried his face in his hands.

"We went into the woods... " He shuddered out a breath. _And I failed. I let Natsu die._


	8. Fever

**Chapter Text**

It had been three days since Gray had woken up next to Natsu. He had not left his side as doctors and healing mages had filed in and out of Fairy Tails infirmary, a procession of hopelessness and futility. Natsu's body was perfectly fine, as far as his physical injuries were concerned. His bones had been mended, his hemorrhaging stopped, his cuts closed up. The last mage besides Wendy who had worked on Natsu had said 'His mind may be a little off for a few days but besides the magic issue, his body should be fine if he ever wakes up. I don't think I'd get my hopes up though. Optimistically, he has a few days left at most.' She had said it in a professional manner with sympathy and respect. Gray had blasted her into the wall with ice without a second thought. When his guild mates looked at him incredulously, he'd shouted at them to get her out of his sight.

They had obliged.

The only healers who came near Natsu now were Porlyusica, Wendy, and a mage that had come from Lamia Scale with Lyon, who kept Natsu fed and hydrated through magical means. He was incredibly wary of Gray, giving him lots of space and always watching him out of the corner of his eye, as though he expected the ice mage to attack at any moment. Gray was grateful for his help, and treated him with more deference than even his own guild mates were getting at the moment. Mirajane brought food that sat untouched until she took it back out again with a sigh. Lucy went home only at night, staying at the guild all day, often holding vigil with Gray next to Natsu's bed. She and Levy poured through books in the library, trying to find something to help their friend. Happy stayed at the guild, sleeping curled up by Natsu each night. Gray was a little jealous to be honest, and that just made him feel selfish. Happy was like Natsu's child. The blue exceed was lost without him, just as Gray was.

Everyone in Fiore had heard of the dark mage and his rampage across the country. Some of the townspeople had seen Gray carry Natsu into Fairy Tail, had heard from the guild that he'd been hit by Dorobo's spell. Rumors began to spread that Natsu was, in fact, dead already. People came from all over to pay their respects to the Salamander, the great dragon prince of Fairy Tail. They lit candles and brought flowers to Fairy Tails entrance, piling up stuffed dragons and fire lacrimas in tribute. Until Gray found out, and flew into a blind rage. He chased the mourners away, screaming and throwing their offerings at them as they ran. He then froze everything that had been put there, photos of Natsu and votives and toy salamanders, and shattered them into pieces.

No one brought tributes now.

After the rumor of Natsu's death had spread, Fairy Tail mages who had been on jobs rushed back to the guild, along with some of their allies from other guilds. Gildarts had been the first to arrive back, followed by Laxus and the Raijinshuu. Sting and Rogue from Sabertooth, along with the Trimens of Blue Pegasus. The guild was full of friends and fighters.

Surrounded by so many people, Gray had never felt so alone.

Wendy and the others had told him that after the ice bubble had thawed, Natsu's magic had been depleted somewhat. Wendy and Gajeel swore that it had been Natsu that formed the ice that had surrounded them. Gray told him that was impossible, but Gajeel just scoffed at him.

"Magic has a smell, it's different for each person. It might have been ice, but it smelled like the Salamander." The iron Dragonslayer narrowed his eyes at Gray. "Kind of like you, ice boy. Why is that, you think?" Gray's eyes went wide, and Gajeel just smiled. "That's what I thought." Gray looked around, fearful, but no one was within earshot. "Don't worry, frostbite, it's none of my business anyway." He walked away without another word. _Fuck._

He didn't know how Natsu could've done it, but he wanted Gajeel and Wendy to be right. Gray could make ice in his sleep, sure, but he had been out of magic. If Natsu had formed the ice, and his magic had been depleted to safer levels, maybe he could do it again. Now his magic had built back up inside him, and Wendy had to do maintenance treatments on him just to keep it from tearing him apart. When they examined his eyes they were bright red with burst vessels. Look in his mouth and you could see his gums bleeding. Wendy went home with Carla to get some clothes early on, and was a half hour later than normal with her magic. Natsu's ears had started to ooze gore. Wendy's eyes began to tear as she healed him. Gray had put his arms around the little sky dragon and together, they cried. They cried for their friends pain... and their own.

Many in Fairy Tail wanted to go after Dorobo. Others, the magic council. Dorobo had known they were coming, and been waiting for them. The Oracle had prepared a car for them, had known that Gray would be carrying Natsu's battered body home. _Or that a dragon was coming to burn everything to the ground._ Gray wasn't stupid. She knew that Natsu would be hurt... or Gray would be dead. The only reason Natsu was still alive was because he was a Dragonslayer and had sky magic to heal him.  
And still, she'd sent them out there.

Makarov had forbidden it. The guild master would not even let anyone go out on a job, though no one was eager to. Dorobo had said he would come after Gray and Natsu's friends.

They were eager to show him the consequences of such hubris.

So they waited.

Wendy worked her magic. Lucy searched her books. Gray sat by Natsu's side, watching him breathe too fast. Lay too still. Hurt too much.

Three days of hell.

Night had fallen and all was quiet in the guild. Wendy was home now, and would not be back until morning. Happy had gone to Lisanna's for the night.  
Gray was alone with Natsu and for that he was grateful. Everyone was walking on eggshells around him. _Gray's gone crazy._ They didn't say it with their mouths, but their eyes. He could feel the weight of their stares, and it was a relief to not be pinned under them. They thought seeing Natsu get hurt that way had broken him. Maybe they were right.

Gray looked at the door leading from the infirmary room to the guild and sealed it closed with ice. If anyone had noticed that he did this when he was alone here, no one said anything. Even if they had, it would not have mattered to Gray at this point. He climbed into the bed to lay next to Natsu, who rested on his back. Gray pushed his face into those pink locks and breathed in deep. _Natsu. I'm sorry._ The fire mage turned in his sleep, rolling over towards Gray and throwing his arm around him. Tears gathered in Gray's eyes. This was the only time Natsu ever moved on his own. To draw closer to Gray in sleep. When morning came and the ice mage left Natsu's bed, the fire mage would whimper. Every time.

Gray watched Natsu's face illuminated in the moonlight filtering through the window. He traced the line of his cheekbones, the shape of his nose, the curve of his lips. It was impossible for Gray to forget what this face looked like. He wanted to remember how it felt. When the others were around, he didn't allow even the slightest suggestion that Natsu might not make it. Here, alone in the night next to his friend, his thoughts danced darkly through his mind and he knew.

Natsu would die.

"Now that's no way to think, little ice mage." Gray sat up in bed, putting himself between Natsu and the intruder. The Oracle. Gray threw up ice between them, like prison bars jutting up from the floor to split the room.  
"Oh, I'm not here to hurt your little dragon. Truly, I'm not your enemy."

"You sent us out there knowing one of us could die. He knew we were coming. You TOLD him we were coming."

"Ah, well, I did do that. But it was for your own good."

"You fucking bitch. Natsu is dying. You told those people if I didn't show to evacuate because a dragon was coming to burn everything down. If I had died and Natsu had lost it, he never would've forgiven himself."

"He never would've come back after that. He would have been lost to the dragon inside of him. There is no guilt for dragons."

"If Natsu dies, I will kill you, and every member of the magic council. I will freeze you all solid and shatter you to the winds. Era will be covered in ice and snow until the day I die. Natsu and me, we have been heroes. If I lose him, I'm okay being the villain." His words cut through the night, sharp and final. She smiled a sad smile, and suddenly this tiny girl looked a thousand years old.

"I have seen you as the villain." Her eyes glowed white and she spoke in two voices at once, one of a woman and one of a child. "I have seen you seated in a throne of ice, bare of the mark of the fairies. Surrounding you are the frozen dead, and the land knows nothing but winter." The light dimmed from her gaze, her voice normal. "But that path is closed to you now, Gray Fullbuster. There is only one left, and I think you will like it. Have faith in your dragon. But ask yourself a question. How far will you go for Natsu? Will you walk through flames?"

Before he could answer, she vanished into nothingness. Gray could not even muster surprise. _'There's only one path left, and I think you will like it.'_ He would surely enjoy killing them if that's what she meant. Gray curled into Natsu, stroking his hair softly as he drifted into sleep with thoughts of blood and fire.


	9. Marked

**Chapter Text**

Gray had fallen asleep with thoughts of blood and woken up to the scent of it. It was light out, but there were no sounds from the guild yet, though he knew Makarov, Lucy and Wendy would be there at the very least. Probably Mirajane too. He blinked slowly, eyes full of sand, and glanced down at Natsu. _Blood._ Blood everywhere. It dripped out of Natsu's eyes like tears. His nose. His mouth. His ears. Gray heard someone moan, a wretched keening sound. Later he would realize it must have come from him.

"Natsu!" _It's over._ "WENDY! HELP! Oh fuck... Wendy!" His shout was loud and ragged.

Natsu's breathing was faster than ever, an animal dying of heatstroke. His skin radiated warmth like a furnace. Gray grabbed at his hand and clutched it to his chest and realized it was trembling. Not just his hands. Natsu's whole body quivered and shook. _God, no..._ Someone tried to open the door, then pounded on it.

"Gray!" Wendy's voice. He'd forgotten about his ice sealing the door. Gray released it and the doors flew open, Wendy and Lucy practically falling into the room.

"Oh, no, Natsu." Wendy rushed to the bed and lifted her hands, magic flowing from them in a blue green cloud of light. Doing nothing. "I don't know what's wrong. It's not working." She shook her head. "His magic is too strong. Mine can't keep up. There's too much energy inside." Even as she said this, the light in her hands grew brighter as Wendy tried to pour more magic into Natsu. Tears started falling down her cheeks.

Gray felt like he was swimming in deep water. Sounds reached his ears in muted echoes, as though drifting down from above. Lucy ran to go get Makarov from his room upstairs. He watched her go, detached. He was watching this happen, and not a part of it. He couldn't be a part of it. His friend couldn't really be losing his life in his arms. Memories flashed in his mind. He hadn't known that life flashed before your eyes even when it was someone else dying.

Natsu, stopping him from using Iced Shell on Lyon and Deliora.

Natsu, carrying Erza out of the sea after fighting Jellal.

Natsu, defeating Hades.

Natsu destroying the Eclipse gate.

Natsu, saving the world. Time and time again. Who would save them now?

There would be no fire dragon left to keep the monsters at bay.

Gray felt magic rising within him. He wondered if it would hurt after all these years when Makarov took off his guild mark. It didn't matter.

He couldn't wear the mark of Fairy Tail for what he was about to do, and nothing would stop him from claiming his vengeance.

...

Natsu was drowning in his river now, a river full of blood. He struggled to stay above the surface, kicking and flailing. His dragon stood on the bank of the river, watching with cold indifference. Gray was nowhere to be seen. Natsu thrust his hand out at the red beast.

"Help me!" He swallowed mouthfuls of red as he begged himself for help. "Save me! Get me out!" Pitiless black eyes looked at him, tired and resigned.

"I can't help you anymore. You cannot help yourself. Only Gray can save you."

"Please!" Natsu did not want to die, drowning in his own blood, so far away from Gray. "I saved him! I don't want to hurt him! He deserves more!" His dragon looked angry.

"You think it is you who saved your mate? You are more foolish than I thought, Natsu Dragneel. You saved only yourself. Now is your chance to save him, yet here you are, failing him. Fighting with yourself. Drowning in your blood. I will do one thing more for you. I will show you truth."

Natsu sank underneath, being pulled downward in an endless abyss. He thought of Gray as his vision went black.

Natsu was back in the forest with Gray. With Dorobo. It was night instead of day this time, and the moon hung full and red above him. Natsu was running. He looked ahead and realized he was running to intercept the Nottoru. Racing with Gray. One last competition, the only one that ever mattered. All his life he'd battled Gray. Who was stronger? Who was faster? Now, he needed to win. Gray's life hung in the balance. He'd already done this once before, and Natsu was grateful. He knew how this race would end.

Then he watched in horror as the Nottoru slammed into Gray. _No._ Gray went down in slow motion, a smile on his face when Natsu reached him.

"I win, Natsu. I win." Natsu pulled Gray into his arms as the ice mage's eyes rolled back in his head. _No._ He trembled as he bled out, lungs gasping, mouth slack. _No. No. No. Not Gray._ Then, in a flash, Gray was gone. Limp. Lifeless. Natsu screamed until his throat started to bleed. When he looked up Dorobo was gone. He felt his flames come out. They'd never been this hot before, or this out of control. They burned off his clothes. By the time he looked down, Gray wasn't there anymore. Natsu's dragonfire had burned him to ashes. _God, no._ Natsu clutched the ashes to him, rubbing them into his face. Something snapped inside, something that could not be mended. Wings of fire sprang from his back and he rose above the forest, filled with hatred. _Natsu is not home right now._ He was no longer a person. He was only a dragon. His mate had been taken, had _suffered._ Looking down at the countryside below, he could just see Magnolia. The red of flames glinted in his eyes as his newfound wings brought him towards the town. They had not known suffering like his mate had.

They would learn. He would teach them.

Natsu broke the surface of his river of blood, gasping.

"Without your mate, the world burns in dragonfire. Without you, Earthland knows only snow. There is only one way. Mark your mate. Then claim him. You're not yet done saving the world, even if it is only from yourselves." _No._ Natsu thought. _I can't._

"You can."

The dragon took a breath, and blasted Natsu with flames.

...

Natsu sat up, still feeling the heat of his dragon's flames, but all he could see was Gray. _Gray not burned to ashes. Gray not dead in his arms. Gray is alive._

"Gray." He didn't see Lucy, Wendy, and Makarov there. Didn't even register Gray's expression. Gray was alive. Nothing else mattered.

Natsu grabbed Gray's face with both hands and pulled him into a fierce kiss. There was blood in his mouth as he forced his hot tongue between Gray's lips. Gray opened his mouth with a moan. Natsu felt a heat on his palm like it was being branded. He hardly noticed. _Marked._ His lips savaged Gray's without mercy. Gray was alive, and Gray was _his._ His dragon roared in triumph in his head as Natsu felt magic flow out of him and through Gray. _Mate. MINE._ Ice coated the bed, the floor. It crept out of the infirmary and rolled across the guild like an icy blaze, spreading like fire up the walls and across the ceiling. Their mouths battled as the energy that had been killing Natsu was finally released in ice. The guild was coated in it like some frozen northern palace. Natsu groaned and finally released Gray's mouth, sucking in air like a drowning man. Gray gasped and panted along with him, and looked down at his hand. Natsu grabbed Gray's hand, holding up his own next to it.

"Oh fuck." Two identical marks were there, one on each of their hands, like a tattoo's outline. _Marked._ Red, swirling filigree in a circular patten, with marks like a dragon's scales. Gray didn't know what it was, but he thought it was beautiful. Gray met Natsu's eyes, smiling. Natsu was awake, alive. His magic had been drained. _Natsu kissed me._ Gray had never been this happy.

Natsu's face was full of dread.

"Natsu?"

"Oh fuck Gray oh shit I'm so sorry." He leapt up from the bed. "Please I'm so sorry I didn't mean to..."

"Natsu what are you talking about?" Gray got up and reached out for Natsu's arm. The fire mage pulled it away, heading for the door. His feet gripped the ice like Gray's would, without slipping or sliding. Gray guessed it made sense, since it was _Natsu's ice_ after all. Natsu looked at Gray with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The three onlookers were dumbstruck and silent.

"I can fix it Gray. I can make it right, take the mark away. I know how. I swear I can."

Gray closed his right hand possessively over the red outline. He did not know what it was, only that Natsu had somehow given it to him, and he did not want it taken away. A voice he didn't recognize whispered in his head, _mine._

"I don't want you to fix it. I want you to calm the fuck down and sit. You almost DIED, Natsu." Natsu was not listening. He was panting, panic filling his eyes.

"I can fix it. I'm sorry, Gray. I don't want to hurt you."

Natsu ran across the ice and out the door as if the devil himself were in pursuit.

"Natsu! Wait! Natsu!" He looked on in shock for a moment, disbelieving what had just happened. Natsu was alive. Natsu had kissed him.

Natsu had run away.

Gray was after him, running across the ice with Wendy and Lucy slipping their way towards the door. The ice mage met Gajeel and the twin dragons Sting and Rogue coming into the guild as he tried to catch up with the fire mage. Natsu was nowhere to be seen. How could he move so fast? The twin dragons were a little unsteady on their feet on the ice, looking around confused. Gajeel had summoned iron spikes out of his feet for traction. Gray was suddenly dizzy. He hadn't been eating, hadn't been sleeping well. Now that Natsu had woken up, it caught up to him with a vengeance. Gajeel caught Gray before he face planted into the ice floor.

"Whoa there, frostbite, you okay?"

"Natsu..." Gray sounded like he was going to pass out.

"I know, buddy, I know. Something happen?" Gajeel's eyes darkened. "Something bad?" Gajeel sniffed deeply. "This is Salamanders ice again." Another deep sniff.

"Natsu is awake, he took off running." Gray fisted his right hand. "He's going to take it away. It's MINE. Gajeel you have to stop him. You can smell him. Go after him! Bring him back!" He pushed Gajeel away and landed with a thud on the ice. "GO!" Gray wasn't making sense, but either way, Natsu didn't need to be running around Magnolia right after he'd woken up from a magic induced coma. Who knew what could happen to him.

"Calm down, ice boy, I got him." He looked at Sting and Rogue. "Take care of Juliet here for me, would you?"

Sting and Rogue shared a puzzled look as Gajeel took off after Natsu. Sting reached out for Gray's hand to help him up, only to pull back with a hiss as his hand was burned. He took in the mark on Gray's hand with wide eyes before glancing at Rogue with a shocked grin. He pulled Gray up with his other hand and patted him on the back.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Salamander."


	10. Dark Magic

**Chapter Text**

Rogue punched Sting in the shoulder with enough force to stagger the white Dragonslayer. Sting just smiled at him. Gray was still reeling. What the fuck was Natsu talking about? Gajeel had just called him Juliet, then Sting referred to him as Mrs. Salamander, once he'd seen the mark on his palm. Everyone's ass would need to be kicked at some point, he was sure, but not while the guild hall spun slowly around him, despite the fact that he stood still. Gray felt like he was missing out on the joke here. That probably meant the joke was him.

"What are you talking about? What's this mark mean?" They had only reacted after seeing it on Gray's hand, and Gray had seen recognition in their eyes. No one else had arrived yet, which Gray found strange considering ice poured out the doors and towards the dorms. Gray weaved to the left and caught himself, widening his stance on the ice. Now that he looked at it, it looked familiar. Gajeel and Levy had a similar tattoo on their hands, though it was gray instead of red.

"Maybe get rid of this ice first, then we go sit down to discuss this? You need a rest. " Sting made a valid point.

Gray put out his hand to better focus his energy so he could get rid of the ice without flooding the guild. He needed to melt it fast. Gray willed his magic outward. And produced a stream of fire. Gray cut off the spell in shock, jumping backwards away from the flames. Sting laughed.

"What the hell." That was all Gray could even muster at this point. His lights were on, but he wasn't quite home.

"I didn't mean like that." That earned him another punch from Rogue.

"Don't think about Natsu. Think about your ice, think about dispersing it. Picture it in your head." _Like a child learning magic again. How pathetic._ This time his ice disappeared like it was meant to, and he made his way back to Natsu's bed. Gray stopped short. Natsu's scarf was there on the bed where it must have fallen off. Natsu NEVER left his scarf behind. Gray picked it up and sat down, about to press it to his nose and breathe in Natsu's scent. He stopped halfway when he remembered his audience. Wendy and Lucy had ridiculous smiles on their faces. Sting had a wry smirk, and Gray could swear Rogue was blushing.

"Stop that. What is this thing?" He held up his right in question. The twin dragons looked at Gray, then to Wendy and Lucy. They weren't sure they needed to talk about it in front of others, even if one was a little Dragonslayer.

"Maybe you guys could give us a minute? Make Gray some food or something?" Lucy looked less than pleased at the white dragons words.

"Did you seriously just try to send the women to the kitchen?" Gray rolled his eyes.

"Please Lucy. Wendy. I'll tell you everything later." They headed for the door. "Hey guys could you..." He paused as they looked back at him. The words stuck in his throat. "Could you not tell anyone?" All his life he had dreaded someone finding out his secret. He didn't even know what he was to Natsu. The rest of the guild couldn't know. His pleading face broke Wendy's heart. Lucy, however, looked pissed.

"What kind of people do you think we are Gray?" She left with a scowl on her face, closing the door behind her. Gray looked to the pair expectantly. They didn't seem sure of what to say, so they held up their hands instead, showing Gray marks like his own in their palms. Gray stared at them, brain shooting blanks now. Stings mark was black, while Rogue had a white one. The shadow Dragonslayer finally spoke.

"These are Dragonslayer mating marks."

"Mating marks." It wasn't a question, but at the same time, it was.

"Dragonslayers, like dragons, have only one mate. They mate for life, and can be with no one else but their mate. Physically or otherwise. When a Dragonslayer finds his mate, as soon as he is of age, he's drawn to them. Kiss your mate and the mark forms. Claim your mate, the mark fills in, and the both of you get much stronger. Levy is Gajeel's mate. That's why she has the same mark as Gajeel." Gray took this in. He didn't want to believe them, but it was impossible not to.

"You two are mated. To who? Someone in Sabertooth?" Rogue looked at his lap, blushing again. Sting reached over and hooked his elbow around Rogue's neck, dragging the shadow mage closer to him.

"Mrs. Salamander, meet Mrs. Eucliffe." Rogue jerked his head out from under Sting's arm and blasted him with shadow magic. Sting ducked out of the way with a laugh, hands held up in surrender. "I'm sorry Rogue, I'm sorry. But really, Rogue is my mate, I am his. That's why my mark is black, and his is white. Your mark takes on the properties of whatever Dragonslayer you are mated to. Yours is red because you belong to Natsu."

 _You belong to Natsu._ Nothing had ever sounded so right to Gray in his entire life. It was too good to be true, he thought, as the mark on his hand stared at him. His entire life he'd wanted Natsu. He rubbed his fingertips over the red, reptilian circle. Gray kept his eyes on it even as he spoke to the pair.

"I can't believe you two are mated to each other. It's just surprising."

"Your one to talk, fairy. Your mated to a man too." Sting looked thoughtful for a moment. "Dragonslayers don't get attracted to anyone but their mate, but you aren't a Dragonslayer. Did you like girls before? This must be a shock, if you weren't gay."

Gray didn't think he was gay, or straight. All his life he had only ever loved Natsu.

"Oh my God that's the most stupidly romantic thing I've ever heard. Why don't you say shit like that to me, Rogue?"

 _Shit, did I say that out loud?_ Gray needed food, and rest, until Gajeel dragged Natsu back here at least. Natsu had run away from Gray after he'd kissed him. Maybe he was horrified. Maybe he didn't want Gray for his mate. The ice mage felt sick to his stomach.

"What if you don't like your mate?"

"You will." They answered in unison. _But what if he doesn't?_ They must have read it on his face. Gray was so obvious. "Look, you said you love him." Sting was ridiculously straightforward. "You're his mate. He feels the same. If he's anything like us and Gajeel-san, he can't even get hard for anyone else. Can't even finish until he claims you."

"You really never know when to shut up, Sting. "

"What? I thought I was impotent my whole life. Really fucked me up. Natsu might not tell him. He needs to know." Rogue put his face in his hands.

"Wait hold up. You mean Natsu has never..." Gray couldn't finish his sentence. "Not even by himself? Wet dream? Nothing?" Sting shook his head in answer. Gray didn't believe it. How was that even possible?

"Maybe ease off on the incredibly embarrassing revelations on someone else's behalf there, dumb ass. This is something he should be talking about with Natsu."

"But Natsu is an idiot." Gray bristled at that.

"You're a fucking idiot." Gray spat before he could stop himself. Rogue smiled.

"You are an idiot. _Master._ " Sting cut his eyes at the shadow mage, licking his lips, then shaking his head.

"So Natsu can make ice. I can make fire. Because we're mates." The twin dragons nodded in affirmation.

"Which kinda pisses me off to be honest. It usually takes years and tons of practice. We can't do it yet. Neither can Levy and Gajeel-san. Natsu hasn't even claimed you yet and your blasting fire."

"Natsu's fire ability was taken. Why can I do it if he can't right now?"

"A mate rights all wrongs." They spoke in unison again. Rogue finished for them. "I think when you two... When Natsu claims you, his fire will come back. Mates can heal serious wounds, remove curses and spells. They can sense if their mate is in danger, can always find them, even travel through their Dragon element to get to one another. It should be no problem."

Lucy came in with a plate of food right then, which she pretty much threw at Gray before walking back out. Gray did not care. He was suddenly starving, would've eaten it off the floor like a dog at this point. The ice mage began shoveling down food. Gray had finished the sandwiches in no time flat.

"We'll get out of here, let you sleep. And of course we won't mention any of this to anyone besides Natsu or Gajeel." Rogue began to pull Sting out of the room.

Gray curled into a ball on the bed and tucked Natsu's scarf against his face, clinging to it like a child sleeping with a security blanket. He didn't give a shit anymore as exhaustion and stress overtook him.

"Shut the door behind you."

"Oh man Gray-kun is so freaking adorable. I kind of want to pet him like a puppy."

Rogue dragged his mate from the room. Gray was asleep before the door finished closing, Natsu's scent in his nose. Before he drifted off he heard Sting's words looping through his mind. _You belong to Natsu._

...

Natsu could smell Gajeel behind him in pursuit almost as soon as he left the guild. It made sense they would send the iron mage after him. Natsu knew Gajeel was mated to Levy, had seen the marks, could smell it in their scents. He would be able to tell what had happened between Natsu and Gray.

He tried to lose him, though he knew with the shape he was in combined with Gajeel's nose it was probably impossible. Then his house came into view and he realized he had run straight home. _Idiot._

Natsu went in, leaving the door open. No point in trying to hide from his guild mate in his own home. Natsu sank to the floor, sitting cross legged with his face in his hands.

"Damn it, Salamander, your quick for a guy who just woke up out of a coma." Gajeel came inside uninvited and closed the door. "Your place is immaculate." Gajeel sniffed. "Lucy cleaned it for you, eh? Better watch out with that. Your little mate will get jealous."

 _My mate._ Natsu groaned and pulled at his hair.

"Fuck, what did I do to him. He'll never forgive me. Man... Gray..." Gajeel sat down on a nearby chair.

"What are you talking about? Gray loves you. He's been in love with you forever. You and everyone else in the guild were just to stupid to notice."

Natsu shook his head. There was no way that was true. Gajeel sighed.

"When I kissed Levy for the first time and saw that I'd marked her, I ran away too. Not because I thought she wouldn't want me, but because I was stupid. One woman the rest of my life? When I'd never even had a woman before, or even an erection? I was terrified. But then I thought about it and saw that my whole life was revolving around her, without my even realizing it. I thought about her when I woke up. As I went to sleep. When I was choosing a job I picked jobs I would need her on, or short jobs I could finish fast. So I could see her. You and Gray are just the same. You fight all the time because you don't know how to be close to him. He fights you back because he doesn't want you to know. Is terrified to lose what he has with you."

"You sound like one of Lucy's cheesy romance novels."

"Don't make me beat an invalid fresh out of unconsciousness. I'd hate to put you back under." Gajeel opened and closed his fists. He was uncomfortable talking like this. It wasn't his strong suit. "Gray begged me to come after you and bring you back."

"Begged you?"

"Well more like ordered me but the sentiment is the same."

"There's no way Gray would want me, ME, instead of some beautiful girl. I'm Fairy Tails resident idiot. All I can do is fight. I don't even have my fire anymore. If Gray knew what that mark meant, he'd chop his hand off to be rid of it. Cursed to be stuck with me for the rest of his existence? What a fucking nightmare. I just ruined his life." Natsu wanted to cry but he would be damned if he did it in front of Gajeel.

"Claiming your mate will bring back your flames. Pretty soon it'll be a moot point. You marked Gray. If you wait too long to claim him, your dragon pheromones will activate. You'll be horny as fuck, mind on nothing but claiming your mate. If Gray catches that scent, it won't matter where you are or what your doing. They'll affect him just as strongly. I tried to fight it just like you at first. I claimed Levy in the dirt like an animal, in the middle of the day behind the guild. I still regret it. I was so rough with her. You'll do the same thing to Gray if you fight it too long. I didn't have anyone to tell me this shit. Don't make the same mistakes I did. Get your head together, get back to the guild and let everyone fawn over you a little. Natsu, we all thought you were dying. Let everyone see you're okay, then bring Gray back here and claim him. Don't be stupid."

Claiming Gray would bring back his flames? It didn't matter . Natsu couldn't do that to him, couldn't make a decision that would affect the rest of his life. He didn't argue with Gajeel. Natsu just nodded.

"Just give me some time alone. I'll come back to the guild later, I swear."

"If you don't I'm going to drag you back. Got it?"

"I swear."

Gajeel left and Natsu sighed. He knew what he had to do now. He went to his bedroom and pulled a wooden box out of the back of his closet. It was sealed with a magic lock that only Natsu's fingerprint would open. Natsu opened the box with his thumb, and stared at its contents. Natsu had assembled them years ago, when he was struggling with his impotence. He'd gone in search of cure and found one. Maybe. Sort of. He'd never been willing to pay the cost the spell demanded, but he used to open this box and gaze at its contents. It soothed him to look at them, to know he could do it if he wanted to.

There was an ancient book with the spell inside, though Natsu had memorized the words long ago. Five large crystals in different colors, red, blue, yellow, green, white. A huge lacrima, filled with magic energy. Natsu's magic wasn't suited for such a spell, so he'd had a transformation mage charge a lacrima for him. The last item was a massive red scale. One of Igneels. _Igneel. I'm sorry._ Natsu once drew comfort from these things, but , without his fire inside him, Natsu felt only cold. For Gray he could do it, though. He would go to Igneel's fire and perform the ritual.

Natsu wondered if when his guild mark came off, after so long, would it hurt? He couldn't be a Fairy Tail wizard after this. He would no longer a Dragonslayer, or even a fire mage.

After this, Natsu would just be a human, cold and without magic. And Gray would be free.


	11. Dragon Element

**Chapter Text**

 _Natsu sat in the dark, alone, waiting for Igneel to return. He held a flame in his hand without thinking about it, it was second nature to him now. Sometimes he wondered if it stayed on after he fell asleep without meaning to, illuminating his sleeping form. The thought of himself sleeping, unaware, while lit up in the darkness of the forest... it made him shiver. He hated it when his Father left. Natsu was young, but he wasn't afraid, he was just... lonely. When the great red dragon returned this time, Natsu was crying._

 _"Natsu, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"_

 _"No. Nothing's wrong."_

 _"You're crying."_

 _"No I'm not." Igneel chuffed out a reptilian breath, as close to a laugh as dragons got. Natsu was so stubborn. If he wasn't, he wouldn't be a dragon._

 _"You don't like it when I leave."_

 _"I don't like being alone."_

 _Igneel took a deep breath, and blew fire across the floor of the cave, across Natsu. He closed his eyes as he felt the warmth of his father's flames bathing him in heat and light. Anyone else on this earth would roast in this fire. If Natsu was hurt, they healed him. If he was weak, they made him strong. If he was hungry, they fed him. Igneel was Natsu's father. Natsu's mother. Natsu's brother. Most of the flames went out, but some remained in the center of the cave, like someone had made a bonfire._

 _"This fire is for you. Whenever I am not with you, you can come here. As long as this fire is burning, you know I am with you. It will give you strength in my absence, and help you find the strength in yourself."_

 _Other than his scarf, and his strength, it was the only thing Igneel ever gave him._

They traveled far and wide, but anytime they returned, the fire was still there going strong. Rain, wind, snow, it didn't matter. When Igneel had left him, Natsu had run up the mountains outside of Magnolia, back to the cave. The fire would be out, he was certain. Igneel had left him, was no longer with him. His fire would be ashes and emptiness. When he had finally reached his destination, his breath caught. The fire was still burning, and the light it made lit up more than the forest. It lit Natsu's soul. As Natsu grew up, anytime he felt sad or weak or alone, he would return to this cave and sit in the warmth of Igneel's fire. Always he had gone there for comfort and strength. His feet carried him there eagerly, sure that as soon as he got there, his troubles would be lifted. Now each step he took up the mountainside was pressing down on him. It felt like by the time he reached the fire, he would be crawling on hands and knees, his face in the dirt. Natsu dragged himself forward through sheer force of will. He'd left his scarf at the guild, and couldn't go back for it now. His throat felt exposed and raw. So did his chest, inside.

When he'd left his house, he'd packed the ritual gear into a bag, crystals, lacrima, Igneel's scale. Natsu sat on his bed and laid down the spellboook, opening it to the page he knew by heart. He traced the dark letters, so thick with ink he could feel them under his fingertips. How many times had he done this very thing, taking comfort from merely possessing it? Now he tried to gather the courage to use it. In the end he left the book as it was, open, waiting. He couldn't pick it up, it made things feel too real. Natsu knew the words, knew they would spring forth like a prayer. When he didn't return to the guild soon, the others would come looking for him, worried about him. Gajeel and Wendy would come, their noses sharp, and track him to these hills. He needed to do this quickly, or it might be too late. As he made his way towards the rocks of the mountainside he knew he had to hurry. It didn't help that his mind was wandering.

Gajeel had implied that he had a little time before his pheromones activated on him, that he would be able to go see his guild mates for a bit and get back home before he turned into a sex crazed monster. Man, was he _wrong._ Thoughts of Gray filled his head as he trudged onwards. _Gray's soft lips on his. Gray's hot skin pressed up against him. Natsu's fingers in Gray's mouth. Gray moaning his name, boneless underneath Natsu as he plunged into him..._ Fuck. Natsu hadn't been this hard before, even when he had been stroking himself. _Gray's hands on his cock, squeezing... Gray's mouth taking his length inside._

"Nnnng... fuck." Natsu rearranged himself in his pants as he climbed. More than once he had suddenly realized he was going the wrong way. His body had turned itself around, feet eating up the distance. Towards the guild instead of away from it. Towards Gray. Now he had to force each step. Upwards he went, even as invisible hands drug him down, coaxing him off his mountain and to his mate. _His mate on his hands and knees, Natsu's teeth buried in his shoulder as he took him from behind, hand reaching around to stroke his shaft..._ God, he'd better get there soon. He was grateful Gray had to smell the pheromones to be affected by them. If Gray was at the guild right now feeling this heat, face flushed and needy, surrounded by others... Juvia might even be back from the job she took after Cana did her reading. Natsu growled aloud at the thought. He would tackle the ice mage in front of everyone... _Take him to the ground, pin his wrists down and savage his mouth._

Shit, this was bad. Natsu reached the end of the overgrown path, and came out into the flat rocky area that opened into the mouth of the shallow cave. In the center of cave burned Igneel's fire. Natsu approached the flames, falling to his knees before it like a supplicant at an altar. He sat on his heels, hands loose at his sides, and stared into the blaze. A disciple on a last pilgrimage to his most holy place. Natsu didn't know if he could come back here after this. Just thinking of it made him feel bruised. Beaten. This would no longer be a place of comfort and memories of belonging. For the rest of his life, it would hurt to even think of these flames.

If Gray could be free if the shackles Natsu had chained him with, it would be worth it.

All Natsu had to do was throw the crystals in one by one, in the right order. A representation of the elements. Into the fire next would go Igneel's scale, something that belonged to someone he loved. He didn't have anything of Gray's. If he had, he didn't know if he could burn it, but he knew it would have worked. He loved Gray. His dragon was right, he always had. Gajeel's words came back to him. _You fight because you don't know how to be close to him._ He was right, too. But not about everything. There's no way Gray could love him. Want him, choose him. Natsu couldn't even ask him to.

When the scale was in the fire, Natsu would read the words as he activated the lacrima. Then came the tricky part. After that Natsu had to walk through the flames. Normally when he came to this fire, he lay down inside it. This time, he had to wait until the right time to do it, after the lacrima activated but before the magic had dissipated. If he hesitated it would be too late. Natsu didn't have his flames anymore. Too much hesitation... He would burn alive in his father's fire. A sob wrenched out of his throat. "Dad, I'm sorry. I miss you so much. I never appreciated what you've given me, the fire I had inside, until it was gone. I never said thank you. So thank you, Igneel. I wish Gray could've seen your fire. I was too scared to show anyone. I came here to be weak, to feel sorry for myself." Natsu let out a dark laugh. "Pretty glad you're not here right now. I think you'd kick my ass."

Natsu took out his supplies, like offerings for an ancient god. _I guess the real offering is me._ Natsu dreaded walking into that blaze. He knew it was the last time he'd ever feel that sweet heat without being burned. He lifted his left hand to run his fingers over the guild mark on his shoulder. _His mouth licking across the guild mark on Gray's chest, tasting the salt of his skin..._ He had to get on with this before he was too far gone.

Natsu picked up the crystals and one by one, he threw them in the fire.

...

Gray was by a river. Not a river, the river. The one where Gray and Natsu always fought. A red dragon sat beside it, and Gray's first thought was, _so beautiful._ Breathtaking. It towered above him, crimson scales glittering in the dusk. Around its throat, the scales were rimmed in black, and they faded at the top of its head to a dark pink. The dragon locked its black eyes with Gray's, the red of flames within them. Gray reached out and lay his hand on the dragons face. It pressed its cheek into Gray's hand, a contented rumble rolling out of its throat. "Natsu?" It wasn't a question. Gray could feel it, he knew it like he knew the sun would rise. The dragon spoke without moving its mouth.

"Gray." He pushed his head into Gray's hand with more force. "Mate. _Mine._ "

"Yes." Natsu's dragon hadn't asked him anything. It didn't matter. The answer was there anyway.

"Come to us. We need you now. Wake up."

Gray woke up with a start, shooting up in bed. He immediately jumped back.

"Shit, guys, what the hell!"

Gajeel, Levy, Lucy, Wendy and Happy were all staring at him.

"Evening, sleeping beauty. We've been trying to wake you up for awhile now. " Gajeel looked faintly amused. Gray realized he still had Natsu's scarf tucked into his face like a prized teddy bear. He sat up and let it rest in his lap, face flaming.

"Where's Natsu?"

"That's why we woke you up. He's not here. We're all going to his house to check on him. You should come. Trust me." Levy seemed part of some private joke that Gray was not in on. Gray did not care in the slightest. He wanted to see Natsu, and he wanted to see him now.

 _A mate protects._ That voice that had spoken in his mind before was there again, along with an uneasy feeling in his stomach. Something was wrong with Natsu. That dream had been something more. He looked at the mark in his palm.

"We should go now." Gray stood up and began walking towards the door.

When the group exited the guild hall, Gray found himself running towards the fire mage's house.

"Gray!" Lucy called after him as they ran to catch up, Happy flying along beside him.

"Something's wrong." Gray picked up his pace, noticing only now that he wasn't wearing any shoes. He did not notice because he felt the stones of the road under his feet, but because of the stares he got. The Harvest festival was going on in Magnolia, and the streets were filled with people. Fairy Tail wasn't participating this year with two of its mages injured, but there were still small events going on here and there. A large bonfire was lit by the river from Gray's dream, though no one was there yet. It was just getting dark.

They ran through the crowds. It wasn't fast enough for Gray. It felt as though all he had done lately was run. Run to catch Dorobo's magic. Run to get to Fairy Tail. Running after Natsu. _My whole, chasing after him, never catching anything but air. Never close enough to feel his heat._

"Gray I'm sure Natsu is fine!" Lucy shouted from the rear of the group. Levy and Gajeel shook their heads right along with the ice mage.

"If Gray thinks there's something wrong with Natsu there probably is."

When they got to Natsu's house, no one even knocked. Gray barreled in, the other three mages almost running over him as they piled inside. Happy flew in after them, looking worried.

"He's not here. Hasn't been for awhile." Gajeel sniffed around as Levy picked up a book on Natsu's bed.

"That wasn't there when I cleaned here. Natsu doesn't read books anyway." Levy was reading, flipping through pages.

"Even if he did, it probably wouldn't be old dark magic spellbooks. "

"What?" Gray and Gajeel gathered around Levy, Wendy and Lucy as they examined it. Gray felt his panic rising.

 _We need you now. A mate protects._ The voice of Natsu's dragon.

"It was opened to a spell that turns a mage human, takes their magic and abilities away. These pages are more worn than the rest of the book. He looked at it a lot."

"Why would he want this spell? Why would he want to be human?"

Gray looked at his palm, suddenly burning in his hand, seeking his attention. _"I can get rid of it, I swear I can."_ A spike of raw adrenaline shot through him. _No._ He had to find Natsu.

"You said I could find him." Gray looked to Levy and Gajeel, face desperate.

"Just think about him, picture him in your head. It's easy, usually."

Gray closed his eyes. _Natsu._ He held his scarf tighter in his hands. Thought of those dark eyes, that bright hair. Strong arms... soft lips... Gray felt a pull in his chest. He could do this.

Without consciously thinking about it, Gray was running. One more time. Chasing after Natsu. His feet carried him forward, out through the streets, towards the river. He was close. Gray could feel it. The others followed behind him.

Suddenly, Gray was beside the river, staring into the large bonfire on its banks. This couldn't be right. It felt like Natsu should be there, in the flames.

"Oh Shit, talk about trial by fire, eh?" Gray looked to Gajeel.

"Natsu should be here. I can feel him."

"When a Dragonslayer's mate learns how to use their ability, they can also supposedly travel through their dragon element to get to them if their in danger."

"Which means what." _A Mate protects._

"The fastest way for you to get to Natsu is to walk through the fire."

The Oracle's words ran through his head. _"Would you walk through flames?"_ Gray would do whatever it took. To step into this fire was nothing. He would crawl through hell on his hands and knees. Anything for Natsu.

Gray threw off his jacket without thinking, and wrapped Natsu's scarf around his neck.

Gray took a deep breath.

And stepped into the flames.


	12. Claimed

Smut warning.

 **Chapter Text**

Natsu still stared into the fire, scale and lacrima in his left hand, unable to act. He must being going crazy, because it seemed like Gray was there in the flames. Natsu could smell him, sense him. A manifestation of his desires. He palmed himself through his pants, trying to focus. What were the words again? A shadow appeared in the center of the blaze.

Then Gray stepped out of the inferno, shirtless, barefoot. Wearing Natsu's scarf. _Shit, that's hot._

"Gray?"

Gray took Natsu's kneeling form, eyes drawn to the lacrima with its white luminescence. He walked up to Natsu and snatched them both out of his hand. Natsu made no move to resist, just allowed the items to be taken with a pained expression. Gray froze the lacrima in ice and shattered it into pieces with an explosion of light, the magic energy discharged harmlessly into the air. He looked at the scale. It didn't take a genius to figure out it must be Igneel's. Gray froze it as well and then threw it into the back of the cave, attaching it into the wall with his Devil Slayer ice. It was going nowhere.

Natsu stared on mutely, breaths coming in pants. _Take him to the ground._ Gajeel had been right. In that moment, Natsu wanted to take him in the dirt, like an animal. Gray had not yet been affected by Natsu's scent yet. He looked at the Dragonslayer kneeling in front of him, silent and overwhelmed. Gray had just walked out of Igneel's fire. Destroyed his lacrima. Now he stared at Natsu looking absolutely furious. Lit up by the firelight and surrounded by the night, all Natsu could think was, _so beautiful. Mine._

Then Gray punched him in the face.

Natsu flew back from the force and landed on an elbow, throwing the other arm up instinctually in a half-hearted block.

"Is the thought of being mated to me so repulsive to you? You'd give up your flames, give up your magic, give up your _family,_ just to rid of the mark on your hand?" Gray jumped at Natsu, straddling his hips. Natsu forced air into his lungs, hard as stone. Before Natsu could even struggle under the weight of his instincts, Gray was throwing another right hook at his jaw. Natsu blocked it, but not the two quick left jabs that followed. Natsu reeled back a little from the impact, and tried to sit up underneath Gray. The ice mage pressed a knee into his shoulder, forcing Natsu into the ground and leaning down towards his face. It was obvious when he caught Natsu's scent. His muscles tensed as his eyes left Natsu's to roam down his body and back up again. Gray's mouth fell open just slightly as his breathing became just as ragged as Natsu's. The Dragonslayer couldn't take it anymore, He grabbed Gray's wrists and rolled him over, pinning them above his head. Tears shimmered in Gray's eyes

"You could have your fire back, be stronger than ever. It's better to curse yourself with dark magic than touch me even once?" He thrust his hips up unconsciously, grinding against Natsu. _Mate. Mine. Claim._ Natsu's blood rushed through his head, a dragon's roar.

"I can't do that to you Gray, I can't take everything away from you, no matter how I feel. You never asked for this. Why should you have to deal with this for the rest of your life because of some predestined dragon bullshit? You should be able to choose." _Bite him. Suck him._ He pressed Gray's wrists harder into the earth, eyes glittering with desire.

"I CHOOSE YOU!" Gray was screaming in Natsu's face, twisting underneath him.

 _Natsu's on top of me._

"It's only the mating pheromones! It's not real for you!" _It's only real for me. All my life, too stupid to know what I wanted._

"Don't tell me it's not real!" His unshed tears fell now, and Natsu felt himself break in two. _A mate doesn't hurt. A mate protects._ "I love you Natsu! I've always loved you. Before we got these marks on our hands, before any of this." Gray laughed, a dark and broken sound. "The first time I masturbated, my first wet dream, it's always been you Natsu. You don't know how long I've carried this inside."

Natsu's world tilted on it's axis, galaxies shifting position in the skies above him.

"Choose me too. Even if it's just once, just to get your flames back. Let me make you whole, Natsu. Let me know what it feels like to touch you. _Please._ " The desperation in his voice gouged a hole deep inside Natsu, and around the wound all the warped pieces of himself slipped into place. He let go of Gray's wrists and took his face in his hands.

"Oh, Gray." Natsu had failed his mate. "No. I can't do that. Not once." Natsu's thumb caressed Gray's cheek as the ice mage's breath caught. "I want you forever. I love you Gray." Gray was falling into a deep hole, and he didn't want to find his way out. Sometimes it was better to be lost.

"I love you too, Natsu."

Natsu pressed his mouth to Gray's, and it was a revelation. _Gray._ Their lips slanted against each other, hot and needy. Natsu pushed into Gray's mouth, and he opened it with a moan. Their tongues battled back and forth, each seeking to take and willing to give. Teeth clacking together, a rough and desperate virgin's kiss. Gray's hands ran up and down the fire mage's back, greedy with pent up desire. There was no space between them and still Gray's fingers dug into flesh, trying to pull Natsu closer. How long had he ached for this? Natsu's arms caged him in, hips thrusting into Gray's with small, instinctive movements.

 _Natsu is kissing me._

Natsu's mouth pulled away from Gray's, and he pulled the scarf away and trailed kisses down to his throat. He kissed and bit, sharp canines digging into Gray's flesh. There would be a bite mark there tomorrow, and Gray was overjoyed at the mere thought of it. He wanted to be covered in them. _Natsu's mark on me._ Natsu's hand trailed down the ice mage's chest and into his pants. When he found Gray's hardness, hot and stiff, they both pulled back with a groan.

"I'm sorry, Gray." Gray thrust himself into Natsu's fist, eyes rolling back in his head.

"Sorry for what?" He bit out the words, breathy and voiceless, hips moving.

"I can't be gentle with you. I've never done this before, I don't want to hurt you, but... I'm sorry." The words did not inspire fear in Gray. They made him shiver with need.

"It's okay. Me neither. It's fine."

"You're a virgin too?"

"I told you I've always loved you. I didn't want anyone else." Gray rocked underneath the fire mage's touch with impatience. He wanted Natsu _now,_ had been waiting an eternity for this.

 _Never touched by anyone but me._ "Mine. Only mine." Natsu bit into Gray's lower lip with a growl, jerking at Grays pants, pulling them down his legs and tossing them aside. When his length was exposed to Natsu's gaze, the Dragonslayer let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Gray's cock stood up for Natsu, hard and throbbing and _begging_ to be tasted. The fire mages own shaft pulsed with desire, and he was grateful for once that he couldn't finish until he entered his mate. One look at Gray, hard and hot and dripping, and Natsu would've come in his pants. He licked the pearlescent drop of seed off the tip before taking Gray deep into his throat, groaning around it as he fumbled at his own hard on through his clothes. _Gray's taste._ Natsu bobbed up and down, forcing Gray's legs wider with each descent. The ice mage's head whipped back and forth. This was the definition of _frenzy._ He choked on a moan, struggling to hold himself together. _Natsu's mouth on me._ Nothing had ever felt this good. Gray wouldn't last long under this assault. His hands fisted themselves in Natsu's pink locks of their own volition, holding him down as Gray thrust into that wet heat.

"Oh, fuck, N-natsu..."

Natsu had never been with anyone like this, but his instincts screamed at him. He reached up and touched two fingers to Gray's lips in silent demand, not wanting to release his prize. The ice mage sucked them, inside, running his tongue in circles around them.

 _My fingers in Gray's mouth..._

"Nnnn..." Natsu twitched at the sensation, imagining that tongue licking circles around the head of his shaft like he was tonguing Gray's. He pulled his fingers from Gray's mouth and pressed them slowly inside him. Gray jolted from the sudden intrusion, struggling to relax as Natsu thrust the digits in and out of his ass. As he tried to decide if he liked it or not, Natsu pushed deeper inside. Gray jerked in pleasure as Natsu hit a gloriously sensitive place within him, hands tightening in the fire mage's hair. He rolled around mindlessly, making mewling sounds, not sure if he was trying to get closer or farther away. Natsu moved his fingers faster, scissoring them open and closed to stretch Gray wide.

"Nnnnggg... f-fuck Natsu... mmmm... I'm gonna come. Hahh..."

Natsu pulled his mouth off of Gray, fingers still moving within him, attacking his sweet spot without mercy. Gray's face was flushed as he panted and gasped, writhing under Natsu's touch. The Dragonslayer had never seen anything so enticing in his entire life. Natsu's name on his lips, the sounds Gray made, were music to his ears. A song he sang that Natsu wanted to wring from him over and over. He would learn this song by heart. His mate was strong, and fierce, and _breathtakingly_ beautiful. No one else would ever see Gray in the throes of ecstasy like this. If anyone tried to lay their hands on him, Natsu would rip them to pieces and eat their fucking bones. This sight was only for him.

"Touch yourself Gray, I want to see you come. I wanna watch you shoot on yourself."

Natsu's words were too much for Gray. He didn't even have time to grab himself before his body shuddered and gasped. Natsu watched, enraptured, as white ropes of seed shot over Gray's chest and stomach, those sweet sounds coming from his lips as he came. Natsu ran his fingers through the milky liquid, bringing it to his mouth to taste. Before he knew what he was doing he withdrew from him and leaned over Gray, licking the thick fluid off his skin. Natsu would have all of his mate, would not let anything go to waste. _Mine._ Natsu tore his pants off, desperate to have his flesh on Gray.

Natsu brought his mouth up to Gray's and kissed him fiercely on those breathless lips as he positioned his cock at Gray's entrance. _Claim what's mine._ Gray tasted himself on Natsu's tongue and moaned into his mouth. Natsu did not release the kiss as he eased himself inside. The Dragonslayer moved slowly, stretching Gray wide with his length. The ice mage moaned and shifted, trying to adjust to the fire mages prodigious shaft. When Natsu was fully seated within him, he stilled. _Claimed._ The dragon in Natsu roared with the rightness of it, his mate pleasured and taken beneath him. Then he felt his flames erupt from within him, rolling over them like the tide, exploding up and out into the night, then fading. His fire was back. _Made whole._ Their hands burned in unison, marks filling, a levy breaking to let floodwaters pour in. Natsu released Gray's lips and pulled back to look at him.

"Perfect." Natsu ran his thumb over Gray's lips. His nose, his eyes, his cheeks. He followed his fingers with his mouth, placing soft kisses across Gray's face. "You're perfect. I love you, Gray." Gray broke inside.

"I love you, Natsu."

Natsu leaned down and ran his tongue across Gray's guild mark as he began to move inside of him. His mouth latched onto the ice mage's nipple. _Oh, fuck._ Gray's hands were everywhere, in Natsu's hair, on his back, his neck. He did not know what to do with them, wanted to touch all of Natsu at once. _Natsu's inside me._ The Dragonslayer was right. This was perfect. Natsu wanted to be easy with Gray, but it was no use. His slow movements came faster and faster, and soon he was pounding into his mate, growling like an animal as he took him. He felt Gray's cock hard between them and took it in his fist as his teeth found Gray's neck again. Natsu held Gray in place with his bite while he savaged him with his thrusts. His hand flew up and down Gray's length, stroking him without mercy as he fucked his mate viciously.

"Nnnng... N-natsu..." Natsu growled into Gray's neck in answer, hips slamming him into the earth. Time stood still. Natsu tasted blood in his mouth, and it tasted so _sweet._ Gray didn't even notice as he shuddered underneath Natsu. Underneath his _mate. Mine,_ Gray thought. "Natsu, I'm gonna come again. Soon."

Natsu growled again, finally releasing his grip on Gray's throat. Drops of blood dripped from his bite, and he licked them up with a groan.

"M-me too."

Natsu's tempo increased, harder and quicker. Gray moaned underneath him, muscles starting to tense. Natsu felt pressure he'd never felt before, building up at the base of his spine. Energy swirled inside him, stomach tight and jerking.

"Fuck... oh fuck..." Natsu felt overwhelmed, tears pricking his eyes. Closer. Closer. He slammed into his mate. Harder. Faster. _Closer._ "Fuck... Gray!"

"Natsu!"

Natsu's vision danced with stars as he came, shooting his hot seed into his mate as he felt some of Gray's cum land on his chest. He filled him up as they came together, thrusting and jerking. Finally he stilled, but he did not withdraw from the ice mage. Eyes closed, he rubbed his face against Gray's, searching for his lips. He found his mouth and kissed him, slow and deep and gentle. Natsu never wanted to stop. He delved between his lips and explored with his tongue, passionate and relentless. The Dragonslayer withdrew and rolled to his side, putting his arms around his mate and cradling Gray into his chest.

"I'm so sorry." His fingers traced the bleeding bites on Gray's neck. "I hurt you. I'll make it up to you." Gray's arm rested across Natsu's chest, hand moving in slow circles across the cut muscles there.

"Don't apologize to me for that. For any of that. I've been waiting for that my whole life. I thought it could never happen." Gray was mumbling, exhausted. Barely there. The emotion in Gray's voice ate at Natsu. He gathered his mate in his arms, princess style, snatched up his scarf, and carried him to the back of the cave behind Igneel's fire where they would be more protected from the elements. He laid Gray down close enough to the flames that he wouldn't get cold, and kissed him again. A chaste kiss, lips closed, eyes open.

"I'm sorry I made you wait for so long, Gray. I'm never letting you go now." Natsu laid his head down and pulled his mate into his arms. He was so tired, half in sleep already. "Even if you tire of me, I don't care. I'll chase you to the ends of the earth to drag you back to my bed and show you who you belong to."

It made Gray want to run, just so Natsu would chase him. _Natsu chasing after him._

They fell asleep bathed in the light of Igneel's fire, tired, and happy, and whole.


	13. Afterglow

Smut warning.

 **Chapter Text**

Dorobo sat deep in the forest outside the remains of his hideout. His apprentices had told him to release that boy's flames after he'd come back home spitting blood. The dark mage had taken the fire of countless wizards before, but it was nothing like this. His hands intermittently spouted fire of their own accord, and even when he did not shoot random flames, his body radiated heat. None of the other elemental abilities he had claimed would work. He could not even summon the wind, which was the power he was born with. Son of a shaman, born of the wind tribe, and still this fire overtook everything. Even Tomo, the water mage who had been with him from the beginning, thought it was too much for him. She told him it would rip him apart before he learned to master it. As he lay bedridden for days, bleeding from his mouth and seizing violently, he thought she might be right. He would give it another day or two, and if he couldn't tamp down the energy, he would release the fire. It was a shame he couldn't store it in a lacrima, keep it from it's original owner, but no matter what he'd tried in practice, once he released a power, it returned to it's source without fail and revived them. This was too much strength for someone who called Dorobo his enemy, and he wanted to keep it out of their hands.

He'd fallen asleep wondering if he would be bested by a pink haired boy and his dragonfire, and woken up at dusk, surrounded by an inferno. Instinctively he ran, trying and failing to summon water, wind, ice, anything to put out the flames. Tripping over the charred bodies of his apprentices, he made his way outside before he realized the fire was coming from him. He managed to slow the blaze and bring the magic back inside him, but everything else was still burning. When he exited the fiery cabin he saw Tomo, cradling the body of one of the younger female apprentices, the water mage's blue hair falling down around her face as she wept. Dorobo thought the girl was 14. He couldn't be sure, could never keep them straight, but Tomo had always had a soft spot for this particular one. She said the girl reminded her of her daughter that had joined the Rune Knights and been killed in action. It was why Tomo had joined him in the first place on his mission to destroy the Magic Council. She looked up at him now with rage in her eyes.

"I told you, Doro. I told you to let it go, release those flames. I said it would rip you apart. I wish it had. Better you ripped apart than all of them. Better to see you dead than this! They were children, they idolized you, and you couldn't even remember their goddamned names! Now they're dead because of you!" Tomo laid the girl's body down on the ground and took off her coat, covering the lifeless form.

"So is it only you now, Tomo? No one else made it out?"

"No, Doro. It is only you."

Tomo disappeared into a fine mist, vanishing up into the air, and he knew he would never see her again, which was a pity. He needed a strong water mage to Unison Raid with, otherwise he couldn't use his Hurricane Summons, and he needed that spell. Dorobo needed to act quickly.

Suddenly, he doubled over in pain, like a blade had been buried inside his chest and was tearing it's way out. He'd felt this before, in reverse. Fire shot out of his body and up into the air, and all the pain he'd been in these past few days was gone, not even a memory. In his minds eye he saw a flash of a dragon, huge and red and malevolent. It was gone just as quickly.

 _Dragonslayer._ No one else had been able to reclaim their magic, or even live more than a few moments after being hit with the Nottoru. The Dragonslayer found his mate. He remembered his father teaching him the spell, telling him it's strengths and weaknesses, that a Dragonslayer's mate could reverse the magic. Dorobo had thought it a myth, but he had thought the Dragonslayers to be myth until they'd reappeared recently. Rage suffused the dark wizard. That's why he had targeted the ice mage. He hadn't wanted to steal dragon magic, it was too volatile and unknown. He'd never expected the wizard to sacrifice himself for his friend. Then the little fire mage had taken back his power, moments after it had destroyed everything Dorobo had built. He'd lost his apprentices, lost Tomo, because he tried to hold onto to that dragonfire. Then, after all that, he lost his prize too?

He recalled the look on the Dragonslayer's face as he raced to intercept the spell. Utter determination, not a trace of hesitation or fear as he ran to embrace death. _The ice wizard was more than his friend. He was his mate._ Wind began to howl around Dorobo, and it felt good. That fire wizard had taken everything from him, and he would not leave such a debt unpaid. He had told the ice mage he wanted to meet his friends, and he needed a powerful water mage.

He knew just where to find one.

...

Soft sounds and a gentle rocking pulled Gray towards awareness. He was warm, his hips ached, his neck was sore, and he felt... happy. Content. Gray pried his tired eyes open, and was glad he had done so. Natsu straddled his hips naked with his arousal in hand. He touched himself, agonizingly slowly, staring straight into Gray's eyes now. The ice mage was already hard, probably had been since before he woke up. He always was in the morning. Natsu's gaze glittered with heat.

"Morning, sexy." Natsu's voice was full of gravel as he spoke. Last night flooded back to Gray in astonishing clarity. _Natsu's mine now._

"Natsu." Gray cleared his throat, blushing slightly. "Don't call me that."

"But you are. I've never woken up hard before." His fist went up and down, eyes roaming down Gray's body to his hips and back again. "Never touched myself like this before. Never watched myself come." Natsu took Gray's right hand and brought it to his mouth, never breaking eye contact, and ran his tongue across his mate mark before kissing the middle of his palm. "I wanna do it with you. Touch yourself for me, Gray." Natsu laid his palm on the back of Gray's hand and wove their fingers together. He then wrapped their joined hands around Gray's cock, and started to stroke.

"Nnnn..." Gray moaned. He'd never been so happy to be awake before the sun rose.

"I woke up, hard, nose full of your scent. I can _smell_ you on my skin, can smell myself all over you. I could feel you next to me and when I looked at you I saw my bites on your neck and _this._ " Natsu's hand squeezed Gray's tighter on his own shaft before releasing it. "It's beautiful." Gray continued to pump his fist up and down.

"D-don't call me beautiful." Gray fought back the sounds that wanted to come out of his throat. Natsu smiled at him, full of dark mischief.

"But you are. Haahh.." Natsu's muscles tensed as he increased his pace. "Mmmmm... shit, it's so good." The fire mage bit his lip, panting and breathless as he looked at his mate. His cheeks were flushed, a sheen of sweat covering his chest. Just looking at him like this was sending Gray close to the edge. His free hand was on Natsu's hip, squeezing, then tracing across his abdomen. He needed to touch him, make sure this was real. Natsu leaned over Gray and braced himself on the ground, wrist flying.

"Gray. F-fuck, _Gray._ "

Natsu watched in disbelief as his seed shot out of himself. Countless times he'd wondered what it would be like, imagining how it felt. Watching his cum arcing over Gray, landing on his chest, his stomach, was better than his wildest imaginings. Natsu's face as he came sent Gray over the edge too, and they jerked and shuddered out the last of their climaxes. They both caught their breath for a moment, eyes closed, a haze of bliss hanging over them. Natsu leaned down and kissed Gray's lips, running his fingers through his mate's dark hair. Gray felt suddenly shy as Natsu's eyes roamed over his face. The fire mage was still playing with Gray's hair as he spoke.

"Thank you." Gray looked at Natsu, puzzled.

"What are you thanking me for? I didn't do anything."

"Yes, you did. Watching you touch yourself... you're so fucking sexy."

"I said don't call me that." Natsu silenced Gray with another kiss, and pulled back smirking.

"You're wasting your breath."

"You're awfully cocky." Natsu's hand in his hair felt good. He wanted to push his head into it like a cat. Just the thought embarrassed him. He fought the urge to run his fingers through Natsu's hair too. _You don't have to fight it. You can touch him now._ Gray's throat felt tight as he reached out and sifted his fingers through pink locks. He hadn't noticed how soft it was before when he'd buried his hands in it.

"I'm always cocky." Natsu was engrossed, rubbing strands of Gray's hair between his fingertips, then pressing his face to it and breathing in. He leaned into Gray's hand on his own head, as Gray had wanted to. _Always brave where I am not._ He finally looked back to meet Gray's gaze. "There's a river near here. Let's grab our clothes and go wash off. Then we can start back. It's still night, but it'll take awhile to get back. We should try to get back before morning when the streets get busy. "

"Why?" Gray was barefoot and had Natsu's bites on his throat, but what did he care what strangers thought of him?

"I don't want anyone to see you yet. It's like... giving you away. I want to sneak you home in the dark of night and hide you away from the world. I want to keep you all to myself, hoard you like gold."

Gray shivered as his face heated to a brilliant crimson, and he had to look away from that earnest gaze. _"This dragon wants his treasure."_

"Let's go."

Gray was sore and achy, but he could stand, though his legs felt liquid underneath him. They hadn't slept more than a few hours, and he was still tired. He retrieved Igneel's scale and put it in Natsu's bag as the fire mage gathered their clothes. Natsu snatched Gray up and began to carry him down the steep slope towards the river.

"Put me down! What the hell!"

"You can't walk the whole way home. Would you rather me carry you like this now or through the streets of Magnolia?"

"Who says I can't walk the whole way, I'm fine!"

"You're legs were shaking."

"They were not!"

"You're so stubborn."

"You're one to talk."

"Snowflake."

"Matchstick!" Gray looked up to see a ridiculous smile on Natsu's face. He was enjoying this, that bastard.

"You're too easy, Gray."

Gray his his face in Natsu's scarf as they descended the rough terrain to the river. He could object to Natsu carrying him in principle, but being pressed against him, sleepy and satiated and cared for felt too good for him to put up much of a fight for the moment. They reached the water and waded in to rinse off, making short work of it.

"It's a shame to rinse my scent off of you." He would just have to mark Gray with his scent once they got back. Part of Natsu wanted to drag his mate into deeper water and take him again, with the river flowing around them, but he didn't want to hurt Gray. They climbed out and Natsu threw his arms around Gray from behind with a grin.

"Watch this."

Flames erupted around them, and all Gray could think was _home._ It was not too hot, just warm and relaxing, and Gray thought that this must be what it felt like in the womb. Warm and safe and loved. The fire danced around them, swelling and surging before dying back down. Gray realized he was completely dry other than a little dampness in his hair. Gray felt one of those ridiculous smiles on his own face now. To be a part of Natsu's fire and not be burned was more than he had even thought to ask for. Gray turned around and held out his hand.

"Watch _this._ "

Gray thought of Natsu, and the fire that danced in his eyes. Flames shot from his hands in a brilliant arc before Gray closed his fist and dissipated them. Natsu's eyes were wide with childlike glee.

"Oh my God, do that again." Gray obliged, pumping more magic into it this time, fire shooting high into the sky. Natsu laughed out loud as he tackled Gray to the ground, kissing him roughly. "I can't decide if that's awesome or just hot. My fire coming out of your hands makes you mine in ways that nothing else could. Fuck, I _like_ that." Gray could tell he did, could feel Natsu pressing into him, already hard again. "We need to get you home soon or I don't know what I'll do." Natsu's eyes lit up again with realization. "I can do it too, can't I?"He dragged them both up to their feet and held out his hand. Natsu remembered when he was first learning magic as a child, that he had to visualize. He thought of Gray's ice, and willed it from his palm. An icy blast shot from his hand and into the air. Natsu laughed again, excited. Gray had not expected the way it would make him feel inside to see Natsu using his ice. He understood what he meant now. That most basic part of Gray, his magic, pouring out of the Dragonslayer's hand... Gray liked it too. Natsu belonged to him now.

Natsu let Gray walk, after much protest on the ice mage's part. They began to make their way back to Magnolia, lit up by moonlight and a sprinkling of stars.

After a few steps, Natsu reached out and took Gray's hand.


End file.
